TOBA TEK SINGH: Four officials of the Punjab Highway Patrol (PHP) have been suspended on Thursday for failing to stop an overspeeding vehicle that resulted in the deaths of 15 people on the Jhang-Faisalabad road a day earlier.

PHP Faisalabad Range Senior Superintendent Anjum Kamal Mirza visited the accident site and suspended PHP Chamranwali post in-charge Sub-Inspector Zafar Iqbal, Head Constable Ghulam Dastagir and Constables Zawar Hussain and Muhammad Ramzan. He also ordered an inquiry against them.

Meanwhile, Jhang Saddar Police registered a case against the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Jhang sub-campus bus driver for the collision between the varsity’s bus and a van on Wednesday which claimed 15 lives and left more than 20 persons injured.

The complainant, an ASI of the local police, claimed that he along with a police team was present on the Faisalabad Road when they saw the bus heading towards Faisalabad at high speed. He claimed that when they attempted to follow the speeding bus, it did not stop and collided head-on with an oncoming passenger van.

A Jhang Police spokesperson said that the identities of the 14 out of the 15 deceased passengers had been confirmed, while efforts were underway to identify the remaining one victim. He said that six injured persons were still under treatment at the hospital.

Reacting to the incident, citizens have demanded a transparent, impartial and high-level inquiry to determine the cause of the tragic accident and to prevent similar incidents in the future.

DROWNS: An elderly man drowned in River Ravi near Ram Chountra area adjacent to the Kot Islam headworks in Khanewal on Thursday.

Rescue 1122 report said some people were catching fish near the river bank and the deceased identified as Rana Muhammad Akhtar (70) of the same locality was also standing there.

It said that he suddenly slipped into the river and drowned. His body was fished out by the rescuers.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2026