BAHAWALPUR: Yazman Saddar Police on Saturday registered a case against 44 people, 19 of them nominated, for allegedly carrying out an armed attack over a watercourse dispute at Chak 93/DB.

According to PRO Muhammad Naeem, police teams have conducted multiple raids to arrest the suspects, who are currently absconding. He said efforts are underway to arrest them at the earliest.

Police sources toldDawnthat a first information report has been registered under Sections 341, 427, 506, 148, and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Muhammad Safdar alias Jattoo. The complainant stated that he, along with several companions, was traveling in cars when they were ambushed near Chak No. 93/DB by a large group of attackers.

The assailants, comprising 19 nominated and 25 unidentified persons, were armed with rifles, clubs, iron rods, and sticks. They intercepted the vehicles, forcibly pulled the occupants out, subjected them to severe torture at gunpoint, and damaged the cars. The attackers also threatened them with dire consequences.

As a result of the assault, four persons Qamar Munir, Iftikhar Ahmed, Rashid Ali, and Shahroze Mustafa sustained injuries and were shifted to Yazman THQ Hospital for treatment.

The complainant stated that the motive behind the attack was an ongoing dispute over a watercourse. Among the nominated suspects are Muhammad Javed, Qaisar Abbas, Irfan Nazir, and Shehbaz, along with others.

Police said further investigation is underway.

MARTYRS DAY: Speakers at a function held on Friday to observe Martyrs’ Day of the Bahawalpur United Front (BUF), which campaigns for a separate provincial status for Bahawalpur, reiterated their longstanding demand for the creation of a Bahawalpur province.

Addressing the gathering, former MPA Syed Tabish Alwari, Akram Ansari, and other speakers reminded the ruling PML-N of its promises to grant Bahawalpur independent provincial status. They also referred to pending resolutions in the Punjab Assembly on the issue and urged the party leadership to honour its commitments to the people of the region.

The speakers vowed to continue their struggle until their demand is met.

They recalled that on April 25, 1970, during the rule of former martial law administrator General Yahya Khan, two activists were killed when police opened fire on demonstrators demanding a separate Bahawalpur province at Farid Gate, a central location in the city.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2026