TOBA TEK SINGH: Police claim that two robbers who were in custody were allegedly killed in the firing of their accomplices during an “encounter” in Hafizabad on early Friday morning.

As per police spokesperson, the suspects Imran and Ali Hassan, arrested in connection with a robbery case were being brought back to Kassoki police station by a van from Sheikhupura after recovery of looted valuables on their identification.

He said seven accomplices of the arrested suspects opened indiscriminate fire on the police van on Kassoki Road to snatch them.

As a result, both suspects received multiple bullets allegedly fired by their accomplices and were critically wounded.

They were being shifted to DHQ hospital where they succumbed to their injuries.

The spokesperson claimed that the suspects were involved in more than a dozen murder and dacoity cases registered against them by Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib police.

THREE DIE: Three men of a family died when a train hit the motorcycle they were riding was hit by a train at a level crossing near Chak 281-GB, Pathorana, Faisalabad, on Thursday night.

According to Rescue 1122 officials, two brothers, Saqib (25), Bilal (18) and their cousin Khizer Hayat (25), all residents of Chak 280-GB worked in a factory in Faisalabad.

They were returning home on a motorcycle after doing their duty in the factory when at an unmanned level crossing Ravi Express going to Shorkot Cantonment from Lahore hit their bike.

INJURED: Seven passengers were critically wounded when a van collided with a trailer parked on roadside on Faisalabad Road near Adda Salooni Jhaal.

Rescue 1122 officials said the van driver could not see the trailer due to poor visibility caused by heavy fog.

All the wounded persons were shifted to Samundri THQ hospital and were identified as Munawar, Nadeem, Shan, Shabbir, Faizan, Rehan and Naeem.

JI PROTEST: Jamat Islami held on Friday a demonstration against illegal parking fee being charged from motorcycle-rickshaw drivers and slaughter house charges from butchers by some influential persons at Gojra.

In their speeches the JI leaders including Sardar Zafar Hussain and Dr Attaullah Hameed said millions of rupees were going into the pockets of unlawful extortionists instead of national exchequer every month.

They claimed the officials were apprised of the issue but they were helpless because of political influence of the extortionists.

They warned that if Gojra administration failed to check illegal collection of parking fee and slaughter house charges, the JI activists will be forced to stage a sit-in outside the office of assistant commissioner.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2023