BAHAWALNAGAR: Scores of people held a protest after a speeding official vehicle of the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (Pera) ran over five young men in Khadimabad Colony.

The protesters alleged that Pera officials were driving official vehicles around the city at high speed with loud sirens to instil fear among the shopkeepers on Sunday night when the incident happened. One of their vehicles hit five youths riding two motorcycles and ran them over on Minchinabad Road. The injured were rushed to the DHQ hospital.

After the accident, a large number of shopkeepers and the families of the injured started protesting by blocking the Minchinabad Road. The protesters alleged that the Pera officials deliberately drove rashly to create panic among the shopkeepers, and despite complaints, no action had been taken against them.

In video clips of the protesters going viral on social media, they alleged that the Pera officials were drunk. They demanded the authorities to take action against the responsible officials.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2026