TOBA TEK SINGH: Six officials from the Ghulam Muhammadabad police in Faisalabad were arrested on Sunday by the Civil Lines police for their alleged role in the escape of a motorcycle theft gang member.

According to the FIR by Ghulam Muhammadabad SHO Rai Muhammad Arshad under sections 224 and 225 of the Pakistan Penal Code and 155C of the Police Order, Sub-Inspector Faisal Mahmood, Muharrar Muhammad Ashfaq and constables Kashif, Mohsin, Tanweer and Khalid were responsible for allowing Hammad, to escape from the district and sessions court on Saturday evening.

The escape occurred while Hammad was waiting to be shifted to the district jail on a 14-day judicial remand. Only four police officials had been assigned to escort 18 accused people from the courts in a prisoner van.

DIE: A couple died and their two-year-old daughter was injured in an accident on Sunday near Adda Dallowal on Faisalabad-Samundri Road.

Rescue 1122 said that Muhammad Afzaal, 34, was travelling to Faisalabad with his wife, Humaira Bibi, and daughter, Horain, when their motorcycle collided with a van. The couple died instantly, while Horain was rushed to DHQ Hospital for treatment.

FIA: A Faisalabad Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) team arrested two people involved in hawala hundi and illegal money exchange activities.

Muhammad Shafiq was arrested in Faisalabad and Muhammad Umer in Okara. The team seized prize bonds worth Rs24.1 million, 5,978 Saudi riyals, 1,885 UAE dirhams, 100 Australian dollars, 100 euros, 100 Qatari riyals, 150 British pounds, three mobile phones and transaction records.

Also, a composite FIA team arrested two Fesco meter readers Muhammad Bilal and Zahid Gul along with their accomplice Abid Nawaz in Mianwali for electricity theft worth millions of rupees by tampering with domestic and commercial power meters.

RAPE: A robber raped a woman during a robbery near Chak 34-JB in the Sandalbar Police Station area of Faisalabad.

The complainant, a brick kiln worker, alleged in his FIR that he, his wife and his sister-in-law were going to Aminpur Bangla Adda on a motorcycle to purchase groceries when two motorcyclists intercepted him. They snatched Rs2,500 cash and a mobile phone from him. One of the robbers took away his wife into a sugarcane field at gunpoint and raped her there. The other robber held them at gunpoint. Police registered a case.

CERMONY: A ceremony was held at the Presbyterian Church on Railway Road, Faisalabad, to mark the National Day of Minorities.

Organised by the district administration, the event paid tribute to minority figures who have contributed significantly to the country’s development.

Christian Father Emerick Joseph, Pastor Imran Sadiq, and others expressed their gratitude to the district administration for participating in the celebrations and to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for allocating a record budget of Rs2.5 billion for minorities, a first in Punjab’s history.

The event concluded with a solidarity rally.

HELD: Tirkhani police in Faisalabad arrested Anam and her relative Amer for the murder of Amer’s aunt Iqbal Begum.

According to the police, Amer shot Iqbal Begum because she opposed his marriage proposal to Anam. Initially, no clues were found as there were no witnesses to the crime. However, a woman police official noticed Anam’s unusual behaviour; though she was weeping loudly near the deceased’s charpoy, she had no tears.

Upon being taken into custody, Anam confessed that she had planned the murder with her friend Amer as revenge for Iqbal Begum arranging Anam’s forced marriage against her will.

TRAIN: A compartment of the Ravi Express 121 Up derailed on Sunday morning near Kanjwani railway station in Tandlianwala.

The train was en route from Shorkot Cantonment to Lahore when the incident occurred around 5am. Fortunately, no passengers were injured. Railway relief personnel quickly cleared the track and re-railed the bogie, allowing the train to continue its journey to Lahore.

Railway authorities have ordered an inquiry to determine the cause of the derailment.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2024