GUJRANWALA: The flood-affected people of Wazirabad and Nadala Sundhawan demonstrated on Monday outside the office of the district coordination officer (DCO) and blocked Sialkot Road in protest at the non-provision of flood compensation to them.

They said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had assured them that they would be given compensation. The protesters, mostly farmers, were on tractor-trolleys and other vehicles. They threw traffic out of gear on Sialkot Road and chantes slogan against the government.

A few protesters said their houses and crops were badly damaged in recent flood but the government did not provide them funds. They dispersed when DCO Azmat Mahmood met the protesters and assured them that they would be given compensation shortly.

NO GAS SUPPLY: The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) on Monday suspended gas supply to textile units and CNG stations in Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin and Sialkot districts after the supply fell by 65 per cent.

CNG stations and textile unit owners said gas supply to 350 CNG stations and 75 textile units had been cut off rendering hundreds of workers out of work.

SNGPL General Manager Qaiser Masood said the supply was suspended due to a shortfall of gas stemming from the annual maintenance of gas turbines. He said the gas pressure came down by 113 MMCFD in the Gujranwala region due to annual maintenance. He said gas would be restored to these CNG stations and textile units after the maintenance work.

KILLED: Three people were murdered in as many incidents on Monday.

In the first incident, police said Waqas with his wife Beenish allegedly shot at and killed his brother Saleem Junaid. Police said Saleem was jobless and demanded pocket money from his family.

In the second incident, Arshad Mehanga Masih allegedly stabbed to death Ilyas Masih over the issue of children’s quarrel and threw his body in a sugarcane field in Ferozewala village.

In the third incident, Saifullah, of Ghakkar Town, was found strangled. Police shifted the bodies to the district headquarters hospital for autopsy and registered cases.

Also, labourer Arshad died on Bajwa Road when a marble stone fell on him.

SCHOOL: Students of the Government Girls High School in the city along with their parents protested at the poor affairs of the school.

They said the school was without principal and subject specialists. The school with 350 students lacked teaching staff which forced several students to leave the school. They said 74 science subject students of the matriculation section needed the teachers.

MPA Nawaz Chohan claimed he had discussed the issue with the DCO and the executive district officer and they had promised to appoint the teaching staff soon.

ESTATE: Federal Minister for Trade Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan said on Monday an estate for hosiery units would be set up in Gujranwala.

He said this at the oath-taking of office-bearers of the hosiery association. Association president Asghar Bhatti and other office bearers demanded that a separate estate for them be set up as their units were running in narrow streets of the city.

Published in Dawn, September 30th , 2014