SAHIWAL: An anti-terrorism court has sent Maulana Muhammad Ramzan Khadim, the provincial leader of the banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), on a 14-day judicial remand to the Sahiwal central prison.

He was previously in police custody on a seven-day physical remand with the Arifwala City Police.

Maulana Khadim was booked by the Arifwala Police for allegedly pelting stones at police and law-enforcement personnel on Oct 13 last at Burewala Chowk in Arifwala city.

The court further ordered to present him again on Jan 29. In the same case, the judge discharged three suspects, Ghulam Mustafa, Muhammad Ahmed, and Waseem Atari, while sending 13 TLP office-bearers and activists on physical remand with the Arifwala Police. Three discharged suspects had submitted affidavits declaring their disassociation from the TLP. The judge directed that the remaining 13 suspects be produced in court on Jan 21.

The suspects include Muhammad Latif, Hafiz Gulzar, Ahmed, Sohail Akhter, Muhammad Rafiq, Ali Hasan, Muhammad Imran, Munawar, Mujtaba, Usman Nazir, Waqas Hyder, Yousaf Riaz, Bismillah, Muhammad Nawaz,and Muhammad Imran.

TLP chief Saad Rizvi was also named in the FIR registered on October 13 at the Arifwala Police Station.

ENCOUNTER: An alleged drug trafficker was killed while his accomplice escaped during an encounter with the Crime Control Department (CCD) near 55/GD Noor Shah Road late on Thursday night.

According to reports, a CCD mobile team was on its way to Noor Shah for a recovery operation at around midnight when they spotted a suspicious white car at Pull Barsheen. Police claimed that when the team directed a searchlight towards the vehicle, the occupants opened fire. Police said the CCD personnel retaliated, and the exchange of fire continued for about 15 minutes.

Police said that one suspect abandoned the car and took shelter in a nearby wheat field. After the shootout, police claimed to discover the body of a drug trafficker later identified asNisar Bhatti, a resident of 80/5-R.

CCD officials claimed that Nisar was wanted in more than a dozen drug trafficking cases. Police also claimed to recover 1,260 grams of hashish, a 30-bore pistol, and a mobile phone from the scene.

CCD claimed that his accomplices managed to flee in the car. A case was registered on the complaint of Inspector Muhammad Ashraf. CCD officials said that raids were being conducted at various locations to arrest the fugitives.

KIDNAPPING: A young girl was allegedly kidnapped by unidentified persons from a store near village 84/5-L, Sahiwal-Multan Road on Thursday evening.

Reports said Ayesha Zakir, along with her brother, had gone to a shopping mart where she went missing after entering the washroom.

Police claimed that she was abducted by unknown persons from outside the mart premises.

The Yousafwala Police registered a case against unidentified suspects on the complaint of her maternal uncle Muhammad Aslam.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2026