TOBA TEK SINGH: A 50-kanal piece of state land worth Rs10 billion has been retrieved from illegal occupants by the district administration at the old vegetable market near Chenab Chowk on Jhang Road, Faisalabad, on Sunday.

According to a district administration spokesman, the state land was retrieved during an operation against land-grabbers.

During the operation heavy machinery was used to raze more than 30 buildings and structures built on the state land.The debris of the illegal structures is being removed from the retrieved land, the spokesman said, adding that the valuable government land recovered in the operation will be used for public welfare projects.

FIRE: Cloth worth millions of rupees was gutted on Sunday in a fire breaking out in a weaving factory on Faisalabad’s Narwala Road near Aminpur bypass.

As per Rescue 1122 officials, the fire was controlled and cooling process was in progress.

INJURED: At least two boys were injured critically in firing by armed men on their rivals at Chak 363-GB, Jaranwala, Faisalabad.

Rescue 1122 says, two groups had a rivalry over ownership of a house at Chak 363-GB.

On Sunday, men of one of the groups opened indiscriminate fire on their rival party, during which two boys -- Adnan Liaqat (15) and Hanif (15) -- who were passing through the street, were hit by bullets and critically injured. They were shifted to the Jarranwala THQ Hospital.

PROTEST: Scores of locals, including traders and residents of Nishatabad locality blocked Sheikhupura Road for traffic in protest against the rising incidents of robberies in the area.

The protesters said that armed robbers snatched Rs600,000 from a trader and fled away on Sunday in the locality. They alleged it was 10th robbery in the area within the last few days, but the police concerned failed to trace even a single case so far.

Later, police officers reached the spot and held talks with the protesters, assuring them that the robbers would be arrested within four days.

After the assurance, the protesters ended the protest and the road was opened for traffic.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2022