BAHAWALPUR: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf former general secretary Jehangir Tareen, who was disqualified by the Supreme Court, announced on Wednesday nomination of his son Ali Tareen as party candidate to contest by-election in NA-154 (Lodhran).

Tareen made the announcement while addressing an election rally at Lodhran on Wednesday.

Addressing the workers, he said he would always stand by PTI and serve the people of the area despite his disqualification. He claimed that on the desire of party workers, Ali Tareen was nominated as a PTI candidate.

As Wednesday was the second day to file nomination papers by the candidates to contest the by-election, no one turned up to submit papers.

District Returning Officer (DRO) Ibrar Ahmed Jatoi told Dawn by cell phone that Thursday would be the last day to file nomination papers.

According to election schedule announced by ECP, the final list of the candidates would be displayed on Dec 29 while scrutiny of papers would be completed by Jan 5, 2018. Polling would be held on Feb 12.

Addressing the gathering, Ali Tareen said he would try his utmost to live up to the expectations of the party. He assured that if elected, he would raise his voice for the rights of cultivators in the national assembly.

arrested: Five sugarcane brokers were taken into custody while three others booked on charges of installation of illegal scales and purchase of cane from growers on less rates than the fixed Rs180 per maund.

This was stated by Deputy Commissioner Rana Muhammad Saleem while briefing Punjab Agriculture Minister Naeem Akhtar Khan Bhabha who visited Ashraf sugar mills, Bahawalpur, on Tuesday.

The DC informed the minister that the district administration imposed fine to the tune of Rs400,000 on middlemen for allegedly exploiting growers.

He said under the supervision of Saddar Assistant Commissioner Sarmad Taimoor a complaint cell was opened in the mill while the district control room was also made functional for facilitating growers.

On the occasion, the minister directed the mill management to prefer small landholders in the purchase of sugarcane.

GANG BUSTED: Musafir Khana police claimed on Wednesday to have unearthed Ijazi gang and arrested its ring leader Ijaz along with his two accomplices.

Police said suspects Nauman and Aziz were involved in murder of Muhammad Shoaib during a dacoity on Nov 17. Shoaib was deprived of his motorcycle, cash and mobile which were also recovered from their possession.

LAID TO REST: Sepoy Usman Arshad was laid to rest amid full military honour at his native village 360/WB graveyard in Dunyapur tehsil on Wednesday.

Usman Arshad embraced martyrdom during the indiscriminate firing by the Indian forces in the Rakh Chakri-Uri sector (Kashmir).

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2017