TOBA TEK SINGH: The Crime Control Department (CCD) Kasur presented former Faisalabad Civil Lines SHO Zeeshan Khalid Randhawa before a Faisalabad anti-terrorism court (ATC) as witness in the under-trial case against PTI leaders and activists.

Randhawa was the investigation officer in the last under-trial case of Samanabad police registered on May 9, 2023.

The case pertains to the attack on the house of former federal interior minister Rana Sanaullah Khan in the riots following PTI founder Imran Khan’s arrest.

Former SHO Randhawa was also an accused in a murder case and was under arrest. He was presented in the court under strict security.

PTI legal team head Malik Khalid Shafiq told Dawn that verdict in three of the four cases pertaining to the May 9 riots had already been announced by the court. He said that day-to-day hearing was being held in the fourth and last case.

He said that cross-examination had been completed on Randhawa as a witness.

Faisalabad ATC Judge Javed Iqbal Sheikh adjourned the hearing for Wednesday (today).

ELECTROCUTED: Two minor children died of electrocution in Aujla locality of Kabirwala tehsil in Khanewal on Tuesday.

Reports said that both children, Ali Ahmad (4) and Muhammad Qaiser (5), were playing in the street in rainwater. The children received an electric shock when they touched a steel pipe housing wires connected to the electric meter of an adjacent shop.

They received a heavy electric shock after touching the pipe and they reportedly died instantly. Both deceased belonged to the same family and were cousins.

INJURED: Two policemen received bullet injuries during an encounter between the Nankana Sahib Shahkot police and alleged robbers in the Shahkot Saddar police area on Tuesday.

Both cops, identified as Muhammad Adnan and Tajammal Aziz, had been shifted to the Faisalabad Allied Hospital in critical condition.

FREED: A brick kiln worker and his family were freed from the custody of a kiln owner on Tuesday at Kamalia by Labour Welfare Assistant Director Qamar Abbas Warraich.

Pakistan Bhatta Mazdoor Union leader Muhammad Shabbir told Dawn that Arif had been working for one year as a brick maker and lived near the kiln with his family. He claimed that the kiln owner was paying only Rs1,100 per 1,000 bricks instead of the fixed official wage of Rs2,738.

He said when Arif demanded the government-notified wage, the owner refused. He claimed the owner demanded that Arif return the advance of Rs140,000 and take his wife, children and belongings and move away.

Mr Shabbir said that Labour Welfare was apprised of the situation and a raid was conducted to get Arif and his family free from the custody of the kiln owner.

ARRESTED: The Faisalabad Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Composite Circle team arrested the alleged gang leader of a drug smuggling ring who trapped innocent people by giving them free Umrah visas and tickets.

A press release said accused Shah Saddam Hussain was on a pre-arrest bail granted by the Supreme Court, which was cancelled a day ago. It said the accused and his accomplices had sent five members of a family from Faisalabad to Saudi Arabia on Umrah visas along with a bag containing ice narcotic.

The family was arrested by the Saudi police when their bags were checked at the airport.

The statement said that raids were being conducted to arrest other members of the gang.

FLOOD RELIEF FUND: A 15-member committee of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) had been formed to collect funds and help the government and the armed forces for the relief and rehabilitation of flood affected people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern areas.

The committee will be headed by former president Mian Javed Iqbal and President Rehan Naseem Bharara.

Addressing a joint meeting with the leading businessmen and heads of different industrial, commercial and business associations on Tuesday, Mr Bharara announced a disaster management fund of Rs5 million on behalf of the FCCI.

He said that the flood relief committee would not only collect funds but also ensure its transparent distribution in collaboration with the concerned government institutions and armed forces.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2025