FAISALABAD: Police claimed on Saturday to have arrested the prayer leader of a Chak 59-JB mosque for trying to rape a minor girl.

The parents of the girl refused to pursue a case against the prayer leader after which police registered a case on the complaint of an inspector.

The applicant, Inspector Abdul Hameed, said he along with constables was on duty at a picket where he got information that a video had gone viral on social media wherein a prayer leader was trying to rape a girl. The suspect, he said, also violated the sanctity of the mosque and the locals identified him.

The Sandal Bar police arrested the suspect and registered a case against him under sections 295, 376 and 511 of the PPC.

City Police Officer Suhail Chaudhry said the suspect tried to rape two girls and police immediately took action and registered a case though the families of the girls were not cooperating and expressed their unwillingness to pursue the case. He said the suspect was arrested and the girls sent to court for a statement.

DILKASH CITY: The Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) will make Faisalabad “Dilkash City” by preserving its historical sites and cultural heritage.

WCLA head Kamran Lashari, along with Faisalabad Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali and other officials, visited historical places such as Zila Council, Allama Iqbal Library, Haveli Bhagat Singh, Clock Tower, Government Pakistan Model School, Kutchery Bazaar, and heritage shops set up outside the Chenab Club.

Mr Lashari said a comprehensive plan was being drawn up for the protection and restoration of historical buildings and cultural heritage within the available funds. He said efforts would be made to educate the next generation on the history, culture and lifestyle of this region.

He said the region had historical and cultural significance due to its historical buildings and spiritual personalities. The DC apprised him of the efforts being made to protect such sites.

In the past, former District Coordination Officer Noorul Ameen Mengal had invested on historical sites and formed a platform Lyallpur Heritage Foundation to look after such structures on a regular basis.

He also undertook the beautification and restoration of the historical Bhagat Singh Haveli in Jaranwala and Sikh community lauded this effort of the district administration.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2021