TOBA TEK SINGH: The divisional administration is going to equip 25 public parks of Faisalabad with recreational facilities with funds of Rs700 million.

A press release said that in the first phase, the responsibility to equip the parks of the city with the facilities would be given to the public and a vigorous publicity campaign should be launched to invite interested people.

The condition of another 25 public parks would be improved by the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) with its own resources. In all these 50 parks, boundary walls, lighting, washrooms, track improvement, landscaping, horticulture work, water pump activation would be ensured.

A meeting, chaired by Commissioner Raja Jehangir Anwar, was informed that funds of Rs700m had been released by the Punjab government for this purpose.

Briefing the meeting, the PHA director general said development of roundabouts, greenbelts, improvement of medians, activation of fountains and installation of models at various roundabouts of the city would also be done as a part of the beautification drive.

ENVIRONMENT: The Environmental Protection Department has taken action and stopped the construction work at two under-construction sites on the Samundari

Road for non-compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs).

It sealed the machinery and recommended action against the owner as well as the contractor of the under-construction buildings.

The official team sprung into action against the work of Lyallpur Galleria II and other under-construction buildings for causing dust and non-compliance with the SOPs.

Deputy Director Environment Usman Azhar said the commissioner had ordered checks of the under-construction sites and action against dust blowing, non-sprinkling of water and violation of SOPs.

DEATH TOLL: The death toll reached four in a seminary blast reached four as renowned scholar Maulana Zaheer Ahmad Ahsan also succumbed to his burns at Allied Hospital, Faisalabad, on Monday.

On April 16, a gas explosion had occurred in the seminary’s kitchen adjacent to Markazi Jamia Mosque in Sitara Colony, Samanabad. As a result, a minor student was burnt alive while two others had also succumbed to their burn injuries in hospital. Maualana Zaheer Ahmad Ahsan who remained under treatment for more than six months in the hospital expired on Monday.

ACCIDENT: A first-year student of a government college died in a collision between two motorcycles at Mamukanjan in tehsil Tandlianwala of Faisalabad.

The victim, identified as Noman Raza, died on impact. The other biker also received serious wounds and was shifted to the Allied Hospital, Faisalabad.

In another incident, a car ran over a motorcyclist, Allah Noor (45), near Jandiali Bangla police post in Mian Channu. He was critically injured and was shifted to the THQ Hospital Mian Channu where he succumbed to his injuries.

The car driver had fled from the scene.

SUSPENDED: Naib tehsildar Muhammad Akram and his reader Irshad Ahmad, posted

at Shorkot, were suspended from service Faisalabad Commissioner Raja Jehangir Anwar on charges of inefficiency, negligence and misconduct.

Sources said the Anti-Corruption Establishment had written to the commissioner after the officials were found involved in corruption in an inquiry.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2025