TOBA TEK SINGH: Kabirwala Additional District and Sessions Judge Sajjad Hussain Khan Baloch on Wednesday handed down the death sentence and a fine of Rs2 million to a young man on four counts in a murder case.

According to the prosecution, convict Muhammad Abbas (21) of Basti Loharan Wali in the Kabirwala Saddar police area on June 21 went to the farmland outside the locality, where he shot and killed three of his sisters who were working there. He then rushed back to his home and shot dead his mother.

The prosecution said that the convict suspected that all three of his sisters and his mother were of loose character.

Separately, the court awarded five-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs50,000 to one Usman Chawan for abetting the convict.

In another case, three rapists of minor sentenced to 25 years each in prison

Meanwhile, Mian Channu Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Yousaf awarded 25-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs500,000 to each of the three gang rape-cum-murder convicts.

Convicts Riasat Ali, Adeel and Allah Rakha had gang-raped 12-year-old ‘Z’ last year and dumped his body in a pit after killing him.

ROBBED: Three cattle traders were critically injured after robbers allegedly opened indiscriminate fire on their mini truck on the Bhakkar Road in Jhang on Wednesday.

According to details, seven traders from the nearby Islamwala village were transporting their cattle to the Chiniot cattle market early in the morning when their vehicle was allegedly intercepted by two dacoits on a motorcycle near the Kot Khaira railway level crossing. On their refusal to stop the vehicle, the dacoits allegedly opened fire, and all three traders received bullet injuries. The bandits also snatched the cash from all seven traders and fled.

The traders, identified as Arsha, Najaf and Ismail, were shifted to the Jhang DHQ Hospital, where the doctors referred them to the Faisalabad Allied Hospital.

A Jhang Saddar police party followed the robbers but failed to catch them.

CONFERENCE: The Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF) Department of Chemistry organised the 35th National and 23rd International Chemistry Conference, titled “Role of Chemistry for Sustainable Development” in collaboration with the Chemical Society of Pakistan (CSP), and supported by the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) and Government College Women University Faisalabad (GCWUF).

In his speech, GCUF VC Prof Dr Rauf-i-Azam emphasised the vital role of chemistry in achieving sustainable development and stressed the need to modernise the chemistry curriculum according to the latest scientific and industrial trends.

Prof Dr Yasir Nawab, VC, University of Kamalia; Prof Dr Shazia Anjum, VC, Government Sadiq College Women University, Bahawalpur; Prof Dr Rasheed Ahmad, VC, University of Malakand, and Secretary, Chemical Society of Pakistan; Prof Dr Kaleem Khan Khosa, Principal Organiser; Prof Dr Abdullah Ijaz Hussain, Conference Secretary; Prof Dr Shahzad Ali Shahid Chatha; and Patron of the Conference, Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Zia, also spoke on the occasion.

CHANGING FAISALABAD: A new programme titled “Changing Faisalabad” has been launched to upgrade the infrastructure and provide latest and innovative facilities to the residents, said Faisalabad Municipal Corporation (FMC) Chief Officer Muhammad Murtaza Malik.

Addressing the business community at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) on Wednesday, he said that construction of parking plazas, reinvigorated anti-encroachment drive, patch work of roads and reconstruction of 12 major communication arteries, including the Susan Road, was being planned.

He said that the development work had been initiated, and citizens would witness a change in their civic life. He informed the business community that the commissioner had greenlit the construction of a parking plaza and work on it would be started very soon with the help of the private sector.

Regarding encroachments, he termed it as a ‘hydra-headed monster’ particularly for the downtown city area and said that immediate remedial steps would be taken in consultation with FCCI and trade bodies to avoid unilateral coercive measures. He said a strategy had also been worked out for traffic signals.

“Fifty per cent of dysfunctional signals have already been repaired, while the remaining will also be made functional very soon,” he said.

He said that model carts had been introduced, and 400 prototype carts would add beauty to the city. He also assured provision of public toilets in the city and a ramp in the front of the FCCI Complex.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2025