GUJRANWALA: Activists of Jamaat-i-Islami, Shabab-i-Milli and other aspirants demonstrated on Monday and blocked GT Road in protest against a delay in local body elections.

They demanded the Punjab government instantly announce election schedule as per the Supreme Court verdict. The protesters, led by Shabab-i-Milli City President Basharat Ali and Nayer Naveed, marched on GT Road from Sheranwala Bagh to Sialkoti Gate and blocked the road.

They shouted slogans against the government and alleged the rulers were not willing to conduct local elections for fear of losing power.

They said aspirants had been campaigning for the last two months and had spent hundreds of thousands of rupees on advertisement and corner meetings. But now they would have to file fresh nomination papers.

They demanded the Election Commission seek election schedule from the Punjab government soon.

Meanwhile, returning officers and appellate tribunals led by additional district and sessions judges adjourned aspirants’ appeals against rejection of their papers after the recent development.

ARRESTED: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday arrested a National Saving Centre in-charge in an alleged fraud case while his accomplice managed to escape.

Canadian nationals Darshan Singh and his wife Kanwal Chitkor had deposited Rs23.7 million with the savings centre here through another Canadian citizen, Zahid Iqbal, who belonged to Naushera Virkan.

When Singh died, Iqbal returned to Pakistan. He got a fake power of attorney prepared in connivance with savings centre in-charge Mazher Farooq and withdrew the couple’s money from their account without widow’s consent.

When Chitkor complained to the FIA, a team led by Inspector Waqar Awan and Muhammad Shafi raided the centre and arrested Farooq while Iqbal managed to escape.

A case was registered against both and further investigation was under way.