0
BAHAWALPUR, June 13: Over 95 per cent population of the district is unable to avail the government facility of purchasing subsidised pulses and sugar as four tehsil headquarters out of five are without any utility stores.
Despite statements by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and other government functionaries, no utility stores has, so far, been opened at these tehsil headquarters.
It is learnt that the entire district except the Bahawalpur city is without utility stores, and even this populous city has only three utility stores on Noor Mahal Road, Sadar Pulli and Satellite Town’s Himayatian Chowk, where the consumers particularly women have to face a great deal of inconvenience to buy pulses and sugar.
They have to wait for hours in the scorching heat for their turn. And after waiting for hours, scores of them have to return without purchasing anything owing to limited stocks.
Uncertainty always prevailed at these stores as regards the availability of sugar. The staff is reluctant to inform the people about the arrival of the commodity.
According to storekeepers, they are supplied sugar from Multan twice a week preferably on Monday or Thursday. But, this schedule is not being observed by the Utility Stores Corporation, thus adding to the sufferings of the general public.
DIRECTIVE: The Punjab government has directed heads of educational institutions to ensure the stay of foreign students in attached hostels.
The instructions have been issued in view of the persisting danger of attacks on foreign students by some extremist elements.
The institutional heads have also been directed that foreign students should not be allowed, in any case, to stay in private or rented houses.
About 15 boys and girls from Palestine, Sudan and Saudi Arabia are presently studying in the Quaid-i-Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur. Now, in view of the government’s instructions, the college administration will have to ensure their stay in hostels.
