SARGODHA: A special anti-corruption judge sentenced a naib tehsildar and a patwari to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a Rs400,000 fine for conspiring with the brothers of the complainant to deprive a female of her rightful inheritance.

Ahmad Bilal Shah and Muhammad Asif Shah, in connivance with naib tehsildar Ahmad Nawaz, and patwari Ameer Afzal unlawfully denied their sister Fatima her legitimate right of succession by forging her thumb impressions and fraudulently selling her inherited property.

Upon receiving a complaint, the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) regional director registered a case against the suspects in Mianwali.

During the investigation, the Punjab Forensic Science Agency conducted a forensic test on the plaintiff’s signatures and fingerprints. Based on this evidence, Special Judge Shehzad Hussain Bhatti handed down the naib tehsildar and the patwari jail term and fine five years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs100,000 each under Section 420 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

They also received a five-year imprisonment and a Rs100,000 under section 468 of the PPC and another five years of rigorous imprisonment and a Rs100,000 fine under section 471 of the PPC.

Moreover, under section 5(2)47 of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA), both convicts were sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs100,00 each. Following the pronouncement of the judgment, the anti-corruption team arrested the suspects and transferred them to jail.

TRAINS: The Pakistan Railway plan to run five new trains in the revised timetable, connecting various cities in Pakistan with Sargodha, starting from October 15, say local railway authorities.

The Sandal Express will be restored, running from Sargodha to Multan.

The department plans to restore train services from Faisalabad via Chak Jhumra, Chinot, Chenab Nagar, Lialian, Nishtar Abad Shaheenabad, Sargodha, Bhalwal, Malkwal, Mandi Bahauddin, Dinga, and Lala Musa.

Furthermore, preparations are underway for the introduction of a new train between Rawalpindi and Lahore. The proposal to restore the Super Express is also under consideration.

Moreover, the Bahauddin Zakria Express is set to be extended from Karachi to Rawalpindi via Sargodha. To launch these new train services, the Railway plans to utilise bogies exported from China, along with defunct bogies and engines, in addition to locally produced bogies and new engines.

Work is currently in progress to make these plans a reality.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2023