BAHAWALPUR: Three persons allegedly gang-raped a mentally challenged youngster in Rehman Town, in the limits of Mailsi city police station on Monday.

According to police sources, the 18-year-old victim was alone in his house, when one identified suspect, a resident ofRiazabad locality and his two unidentified accomplices abducted him.

The suspects took him to a deserted house, where they gang raped him and fled away.

The victim’s family members located him and complained to the police. The city police registered a case against the three suspects.

The victim was referred to Mailsi Tehsil Headquarters Hospital for medical examination.

SENTENCED: Jahania Additional Sessions Judge Tariq Saleem Chohan handed down ten-year jail sentence, along with Rs1 million fine, to a drug trafficker.

According to prosecution ,the Jahania police, about eight months ago, recovered over 26 kilogram charas from a truck driven by the suspect, Ashraf, a resident of Pishin.

Ashraf had concealed the drug in the secret cavities of his truck, that was also impounded.

His challan was submitted in the court.

As per the verdict, the convict will also have to undergo an additional imprisonment for six months in case of defaulting on fine payment.

MUSIC CONTEST: Three young singers -- Owais Babar, Naday Ali and Zain Ali -- were adjudged first, second and third, respectively, at a divisional-level music contest organised by The Punjab Arts council Bahawalpur.

DPR Dr Nasir Hameed and Arts Council Board of Management of Arts Council Dr Nasrullah Khan Nasir gave away prizes to the position-holders.

AUTO SHOW: Hundreds of people visited the firs-ever auto show organised here by the Islamia University Bahawalpur at its Baghdadul Jadid Campus on Monday.

According to the organisers, over 200 cars, jeeps and motorbikes were displayed at the auto show, which attracted people from across Bahawalpur division.

IUB Faculty of Management Sciences Dean Prof Dr Jawad Iqbal distributed shields among the winners at the closing ceremony.

TRIBUTE: On the call of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), the Bahawalpur Union of Journalists (BhUJ) observed ‘Yaum-e-Azm’ to pay tributes to its three stalwarts -- Nasir Zaidi, Iqbal Jaffery and Khawar Naeem Hashmi -- who were subjected to lashes in 1978 during Zia regime.

The three journalists were punished by a military court for taking an active part in the PFUJ-led Press Freedom Movement against the military dictatorship.

The BhUJ, led by its president, Majeed Gill, staged a rally and held a meeting to acknowledge the sacrifices by the journalists for the cause of press freedom.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2024