GUJRANWALA, May 19: Local literary circles have expressed concern over proposals being considered at the official level to close down municipal libraries and reading rooms in the city.

At a meeting held here on Friday and presided over by Khalid Mahmood, participants said that about a dozen reading rooms and libraries were being run in the city. But when the city was divided into four towns under the city district government plan six months ago, no town was ready to accept their liabilities.

They said since the dissolution of the city tehsil council the utility bills and salaries of the staff manning them were not being cleared. Power supply to the Jinnah Library located at Trust Plaza was also severed due to non-payment.

The meeting urged the Punjab governor and chief minister to intervene and save the libraries and reading rooms from closure.

RAPED: A beauty parlour owner was kidnapped and gang raped by three people who escaped after admitting her to the DHQ Hospital on Friday.

Police said ‘F’ was on her way home when Yasir, Ahmad Ali and Qasim kidnapped her. They took her to a deserted house and raped her. Later, they admitted her to the DHQ hospital in serious condition and escaped when her family reached there.k

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