TOBA TEK SINGH: An additional district and sessions judge on Wednesday released on bail two Christian sisters facing blasphemy charges. They were arrested from a Gojra village on Aug 7.

Complainant Muhammad Haider, a neighbour of the sisters, had claimed in his FIR registered under Section 295B of PPC that they had thrown Quran pages in a sack of scrap outside their home.

After the incident, a mob had blocked the Motorway (M-4) and demanded arrest of the accused.

Their counsel argued that they had been booked under baseless charges and that they had not thrown any sack containing waste paper with sacred inscriptions. He claimed the case was lodged with an intention to settle personal scores.

He said one of the sisters was a widow solely responsible for supporting her children after the death of her husband and parents. Despite the difficulties, she continued to work for the community as volunteer health worker.

The court accepted their plea and granted them bail.

ROAD CRASH: Three of a family, including a couple and their driver, died in a car crash on Vehari Road early Wednesday morning.

Reports said the family was returning to Hasilpur from Lahore. Deceased were identified as Ayub (52), his wife Naheed (45), their relative Umar (49) who was driving the car. Their daughter Aliza (25) was shifted to the Vehari DHQ Hospital.

ENCOUNTER: A proclaimed offender belonging to Jaranwala and wanted in three dozen robberies and his accomplice were killed in an encounter with Shahkot Saddar (Sheikhupura) police on Wednesday.

SHO Waqas Anwar said four outlaws were fleeing after looting some motorcyclists. When police tried to stop them, they opened fire which was returned.

When the firing stopped, police found two of them dead.

The SHO claimed Ashraf and his accomplice received bullets fired by their accomplices who fled the scene.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2024