LAHORE: The main road and rail link bet­ween Lahore and Karachi was disrupted this morning [Aug 18] when all attempts to arrest a deteriorating situation around Panjnad headworks failed and flood water overflowed on the National Highway and the main railway line after crossing two irrigation channels.

A spokesman of the Pakistan Western Railway told newsmen tonight that the railway line between Lodhran and Khanpur had been flooded or breached at innumerable places and all traffic had been suspended between Lahore and Karachi.

[Meanwhile,] Pir Pagaro, President of the United Democratic Front and the President of the Combined Muslim League, has issued the following Press statement: “I strongly condemn the arrest of the prominent NAP leaders of Baluchistan. Political leaders of the stature of Mir Ghaus Bakhsh Bizenjo, Sardar Ataullah Khan Mengal and Sardar Khair Bakhsh Marri have been charged with all sorts of things. Besides being an example of the worst sort of victimisation of political leaders in the opposition, it proves that the Government of Mr Z.A. Bhutto is determined to destroy even the minor traces of democracy in the country.”

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2023