SAHIWAL: Farid Town police claimed to have gunned down a suspected dacoit during an encounter near village 94/6-R late on Thursday.

Four unidentified suspects on two motorcycles snatched a motorcycle from a citizen, Waris Ali, a resident of village 91/6-R. Ali informed police on helpline 15. A Farid Town police team was dispatched that chased the suspects and traced them near village 94/4-R.

On seeing the police team, the suspects opened fired that was retaliated. An exchange of fire continued for around 15 minutes. Later, police found a body of one of the suspects, who was identified as Shaukat alias Shooka, a resident of Chak 55, Kot Radha Kishan, Kasur district.

Farid Town police said the body was handed over to the family after autopsy. They claimed the deceased was booked in many criminal cases in Kasur and Sahiwal.

LOOTED: A villager was deprived of Rs32,000 by swindlers on the pretext of having won a prize of Rs1 million and a motorcycle.

Muhammad Ramzan, a resident of village 112/9-L, claimed that he received a phone call that he had won a prize in a lucky draw and asked him to transfer some money through a mobile cash account. He further said the caller had all his personal details, including identity card number and other personal accounts.

Ramzan said he transferred Rs32,000 but eventually found out that he had been cheated. He filed an application with the Federal Investigation Agency’s cyber crime wing demanding an investigation into how strangers got hold of data from multinational mobile companies.

He further stated that this “racket” must be exposed as without a company’s involvement such a fraud could not happen.

RALLY: Punjab Lok Lehar organised a rally here on Friday to celebrate the International Mother Language Day.

The rally moved from Jogi Chowk to Sadar Chowk and was participated in by activists and students. Kaswar Butt, the Lok Lehar director, said that accepting one’s identity meant accepting the cultural roots with the land and its people.

Other speakers included Asif Shahkar, Raja Jahangir, Saleem Asar Ansari, Waris Ansari and Dilawar Dhakko. Many folk dancers also participated in rally.

Similarly, Dara-i-Arqam School, Harappa City organised a seminar on the importance of the mother language day.

Riaz Hamdani, director of the Sahiwal Arts Council, lauded the event. Zikriya Khan, a Punjabi language activist, also paid tribute to the local culture. The schoolchildren performed a Ravi Jhoomar performance, while the guests had donned orange turbans.

The seminar speakers paid tribute to A.D. Ijaz and his famous book Kal Bulaindi that shows the resistance struggle of Rai Ahmed Khan Kharal during the 1857 War of Independence.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2020