MUZAFFARGARH: As many as four people drowned while taking a bath in the Indus River and canal on Sunday in Muzaffargarh, Sheikhupura and Okara areas.

In Muzaffargarh’s Longar Wah, Alipur tehsil, a number of youngsters under 16 years of age were taking a bath in the Indus. Six went into the deep water. Of them, five - Naveed, Khalil, Shahid, Younis, Naeem - were rescued by the locals. Mohammad Naeem Bhutta is still missing and feared drowned although the search has been on for hours.

People violate ban on bathing in canal and river imposed by the district administration under section 144. In Okara, two minor children drowned in the canal near Pul Joyia while as many others were rescued by villagers.

Four children were taking a bath in the canal. Two of them Atif and Shakeel drowned whereas villagers rescued Afzal (7) and Umair (6).

In Sheikhupura, a factory worker drowned in Upper Chenab canal on Sunday.

Ghulam Abbas, a resident of Chak 213 (Arifwala), along with his three colleagues jumped into the canal to take a bath. He didn’t know how to swim and was feared drowned. His body is yet to be recovered.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2017