BAHAWALPUR: As floodwater has started receding in many submerged areas of Multan, Bahawalpur, Lodhran and Vehari, so far 6,000 of the displaced people have returned to their homes in Multan tehsil areas, officials say.

According to Assistant Commissioner (AC) Abdul Sami Sheikh, out of the 15,000 flood-affected people residing in the relief camp set up by the administration at Langrial village, 6,000 have returned to their homes, while the remaining, over 4,000, are still there, who are being provided food by the government.

He dispelled the reports that the displaced people staying in the flood relief camps were being forced to return to their native areas.

He says that the administration will continue to providefood and other basic facilities to the flood-hit people till their rehabilitation.

However, a majority of the displaced people are perplexed as to where they will go after leaving the relief camps because either their houses have been swept or destroyed by floodwaters, or rendered unfit for residing.

According to the district administration sources, most of the displaced people are worried

about the safety of their belongings they had left in their houses because of the rampant theft incidents, and wanted to return to their native areas.

CCD ENCOUNTER: The Multan Crime Control Department (CCD) claimed to have killed two wanted suspects allegedly involved in heinous crimes in Vehari district on Tuesday.

According to a spokesman, a CCD team exchanged fire with two armed suspects at Chak 46 in Vehari district. As a result two suspects, identified as Ali Shehzad and Sardar Ali Chawla, were killed in the “encounter”, he said.

He claimed that both suspects were wanted by the police in different cases of heinous crimes.

He said a motorcycle and two pistols were found near the suspects’ bodies which were shifted to the Vehari DHQ Hospital.

SENTENCED: Kahrorepucca Additional Sessions Judge Sardar Nabi Khan Dahirhanded down a nine-year jail term to a drug trafficker, along with a Rs80,000.

According to the prosecution, Kahrorepucca city police had arrested Shoaib Nawaz on July 26, 2024, recovering one kilo and 40 grams of charas from his possession.

An FIR (No 513/24) was registered against Nawaz and later the case challan was submitted in the court.

The judge also ordered that in case of defaulting on fine payment, the convict will have to under go an additional sentence for a period of six months.

Meanwhile, Lodhran city police claimed to have arrested an alleged drug trafficker, Waqar Rajput, recovering one kilogram heroin from his possession.

A case was registered against the suspect.RAPE BID: Vehari city police have booked a suspect for allegedly attempting to rape agirl in her house in Faisal Colony on Tuesday.

As per police sources, the suspect, a vagabond, entered the house of Abid Hussain, aresident of Faisal Colony, and in his absence attempted to rape his daughter.

On hearing the girl’s screams, some locals rushed to the house, while the suspect managed to flee before their arrival.

On the complaint of Abid Hussain, the police registered a case against the suspect, who was still at large.

In another incident, three unidentified men allegedly harassed daughter of Nadeem, when she was returning home from a tuition centre.

On Nadeem’s complaint, Vehari city police registered a case against the unidentified suspects. The police are looking for the suspects.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2025