0
GUJRANWALA, March 16: An angry mob threw traffic out of gear on the GT Road in protest against the killing of a municipal official by a franchised bus near Sheikhupura Morr here on Thursday.
Deceased Altaf, a tubewell operator, was on his way home by his bicycle when the speeding bus hit him, killing him on the spot. Area people and heirs of the deceased caught hold of absconding driver Younas and handed him over to police. Later, they blocked traffic and chanted slogans against franchised bus owners and the transport ministry.
They alleged that some half a dozen people had lost their lives due to the reckless driving by bus drivers during a week. They further claimed that the police were reluctant to take action against bus drivers due to support from their high-ups.
They demanded that the bus service on crowded areas and narrow roads should be banned. However, a heavy police contingent rushed to the spot and got restored the traffic.
ENHANCED: The Punjab chief minister has enhanced an annual Anti-Corruption Establishment budget from Rs70 million to Rs160 million besides establishing three new regions in a year and allocating Rs70 million for transport and Rs30 million for providing vehicles to police stations.
This was stated by Punjab ACE director-general Brig Muhammad Aslam Ghuman (retired) while speaking at a meeting during his visit to the regional office here on Thursday.
He pointed out that about 1,301 government officers, including 98 gazetted officers, were arrested during the last year for making assets of millions of rupees.
While recovery of Rs460 million in 2004 and Rs2 billion in 2005 was made besides arresting 553 fugitives out of 740. He said Rs86.7 were recovered in Gujranwala region in 2005 while Rs1.9 million during the first three months of the current year.
Mr Ghuman said that as many as 113 accused, including four gazetted officers, were arrested and 95 cases were forwarded to ant-corruption courts for trial.
He revealed that the anti-corruption department was being made a self-autonomous body while the Punjab chief minister would be its chief patron. Additional director Muhammad Jamil gave him briefing on the output of the regional office.
SHOT DEAD: A man was shot dead by his rivals over an old enmity on Himlton Road here on Thursday.
Deceased Younas was on his way after meeting with his arrested relative in district courts when accused Tariq, Shahid and Saifullah opened fire on him. He died on the spot.
