BAHAWALPUR: The Qureshiwala police in Lodhran arrested a private schoolteacher for murder, harassment and blackmail which forced a matriculation student to take her own life due to his repeated abuse.

The police said Muhammad Saqlain, teacher at a private school in village Gogran, had been allegedly harassing the teenage girl, pressuring her for illicit relations and sending her objectionable WhatsApp messages.

The girl (name withheld) reportedly attempted suicide by swallowing poisonous tablets. She was initially treated at a local hospital in Gogran before being shifted to Bahawal Victoria Hospital in Bahawalpur, where she succumbed to the poisoning.

Police said the girl had recorded a video statement before her death, naming Saqlain as the one responsible for her condition. The FIR was registered on the complaint of the deceased girl’s father. The girl’s video statement has been included in the case file. Further investigation is underway.

WINDSTORM: A powerful windstorm followed by rain lashed Bahawalpur and adjoining areas on Thursday night and caused widespread disruption in power and communication systems.

The strong winds uprooted trees and electric poles, damaged telephone lines, and caused more than 150 electricity feeders to trip. A large part of the city and surrounding districts remained without electricity for several hours.

According to a statement issued by the Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco), the storm disrupted power supply in 13 districts across the region. Power outages continued through Friday in many areas, with some localities still without electricity by the evening.

Mepco teams were working in the field to repair damaged infrastructure and restore power supply to the affected areas.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2025