TOBA TEK SINGH: A large number of powerloom workers held a protest rally on Tuesday, blocking traffic on Jhang Road for four hours.
The rally began from the Sadhar industrial area and proceeded to Airport Chowk, where demonstrators demanded immediate resolution of their grievances.
Addressing the workers, Labour Movement Chairman Baba Latif Insari and other union leaders said powerloom factories in Faisalabad had been unjustly closed by owners for the past three weeks. As a result, workers and their families were facing severe hardship and starvation due to unpaid wages.
The protest was called off after successful negotiations with the district administration, which provided a written assurance to the workers.
The agreement was signed by the Faisalabad city assistant commissioner, DSP city, directors of the labour welfare and social security departments. Under the agreement, theadministration will arrange through courts payment of 22-day wages during which factories remained shut, all dilapidated buildings of factories will be got repaired, social security cards will be issued to all workers, provision of drinking water will be ensured in all factories and administration will also ensure implementation on minimum wages notification of Punjab government issued in 2024.
The labour leaders said they would resume protests if the administration failed to honour the agreement.
SMUGGLER HELD: The FIA Composite Circle team in Faisalabad arrested an alleged human smuggler, Zulfiqar Ali, on Monday night.
According to FIA officials, Zulfiqar defrauded two individuals Babar Ali and Mehr Ali Akbar of Rs6.1 million, promising to send them to Italy via Libya.
Babar Ali was deported from Libya, while Mehr Ali Akbar remains imprisoned in a Libyan jail. Further investigations are underway.
SHOT DEAD: A 30-year-old man, Waseem Akram, was shot dead by his cousin over a monetary dispute in Gojra’s Chak 241 GB Garha on Tuesday.
According to police, the victim was riding a motorcycle with his cousin Abdullah as a pillion when Abdullah allegedly shot him in the head, killing him on the spot. Initially, Abdullah called the police and claimed that Waseem was killed during a dacoity attempt.
Police arrested him on changing statements and he confessed to the murder.
Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2025
