GUJRAT: A joint team of the district administration and Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Tuesday sealed the grocery store and a restaurant owned by district president of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) ex-MPA Saleem Sarwar Jaura.

A fine of Rs15,000 each was also imposed on the store and the restaurant being run in the same building located at Pakistan Chowk.

A PFA team imposed fine on the grocery store for selling expired items, while the restaurant was fined over poor hygiene.

Gujrat Assistant Commissioner (AC) Haider Abbas sealed the grocery store soon after the imposition of the fine by the PFA.

Mr Jaura was earlier booked in different cases registered against him for staging protest demonstrations along with the local PTI cadre on May 9.

The law enforcement agencies (LEAs) had later arrested Mr Jaura and detained him for several weeks in different jails and police stations.

He was also hospitalised after his health deteriorated on the premises of a local court where he was to be presented by police. He was admitted to the Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital for a few days.

Later on, he was arrested by Narowal police in another case, but the court set him free. Since then he has gone into hiding.

Sources claimed Mr Jaura had declined to leave the PTI despite immense pressure.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2023