BAHAWALNAGAR, June 10: Thursday evening’s dust storm that disrupted life in the entire Punjab also claimed seven lives, including six in Bahawalnagar district alone.

The velocity of the storm in south Punjab was clocked at 195km an hour.

Police and hospital sources said a minor girl was among the six who perished in Bahawalnagar.

Five-year-old Arooj and Bashir died when outer walls of their houses fell on them.

Reports from Mcload Gang said that Nazar Farid and Abdul Khaliq were killed while a student received injuries when the minaret of a mosque collapsed.

A live electricity wire fell on an unknown youth who died on the spot. Muhammad Sarwar Abid was also killed in a storm-related incident at Adda Ghumandpur.

A textile mills in Bahawalnagar also caught fire during the storm. The management said over 1100 bales worth Rs15 million were burnt.

About two dozen people were injured, hospital sources said.

VEHARI: A head constable was killed and eight others injured during the dust storm.

HC Gulam Rasool was on duty at the general bus stand when the huge hoarding of a multinational company fell on him. He was admitted to the DHQ hospital where he died.

Power supply to a majority of rural areas could not be restored even after 24 hours of the storm.

Opinion

Editorial

Iran stalemate
Updated 02 May, 2026

Iran stalemate

THE US and Iran are currently somewhere between war and peace. While a tenuous ceasefire — extended largely due to...
Tax shortfall
02 May, 2026

Tax shortfall

THE Rs684bn shortfall in tax collection during the first 10 months of the fiscal year is a continuation of a...
Teaching inclusion
02 May, 2026

Teaching inclusion

DISCRIMINATORY and exclusionary content in Punjab’s textbooks has been flagged in Inclusive Education for a United...
Water vision
01 May, 2026

Water vision

WATER insecurity in Pakistan has been building up for decades as per capita water availability has declined from...
Vaccine policy
01 May, 2026

Vaccine policy

PAKISTAN has finally approved its first National Vaccine Policy; a step the health ministry has rightly described as...
Labour rights
Updated 01 May, 2026

Labour rights

THE annual observance of May Day should move beyond statements about the state’s commitment to the rights of...