BAHAWALPUR: A couple was killed while three other family members suffered serious injuries when their car was hit by a truck on Bahawalpur-Ahmedpur East Road near Musafirkhana, some 20km from here, on Wednesday.

Police said the family was heading towards Faisalabad from Abbasia Town, Rahim Yar Khan, when the car hit the truck when its driver tried to overtake it (truck). Consequently, Muhammad Anwar, and his wife Salma Bibi died on the spot while Jamshed, his wife Rubina and Samina sustained serious injuries.

Police handed over the bodies to the family after legal formalities.

Musafirkhana police arrested truck driver Tasleem Akhtar.

FESTIVITIES: On the directive of the government, a month-long Independence Day celebrations will be started on Friday (today).

The festivities will begin with a flag-hoisting ceremony to be held under the auspices of the district administration.

It will be followed by different events like declamation contests in schools and colleges, sports fixtures in the local stadium and holding of seminars and special functions to highlight the struggle which achieved a separate homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent.

The families of ‘Shuhada’ will also be invited at functions to acknowledge the sacrifices of Pakistani troops.

NO GAS SUPPLY: The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) on the second day of Eid on Wednesday disconnected the supply of gas in several parts of the city, including Satellite Town and its adjacent 20 localities.

Consumers particularly the housewives faced inconvenience due to an abrupt disconnection of gas supply.

An official of SNGPL’s emergency services said a fault caused the suspension of gas supply to various city localities.

He, however, said the gas supply was restored in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Mepco resumed the previous long hours of power loadshedding after two days of Eid on Thursday.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2014