TOBA TEK SINGH: The Faisalabad FIA claims to have made a significant progress in the Passco wheat embezzlement and corruption case and arrested two more accused.

A press release said on Tuesday that SHO Ajmal Hussain raided and arrested accused Tandlianwala Passco Project Incharge Rai Abdul Karim and labour contractor Jamil Ahmed.

FIA claimed that both were involved in embezzling wheat worth Rs210 million in collusion with other accomplices and had been adding soil and other adulterations into the wheat, which had caused a huge loss to the national exchequer.

It added that both accused persons were on pre-arrest bails and when the LHC rejected their bail pleas, the FIA arrested them. It also said that investigation was underway to identify and arrest more persons involved in the case and recover the government losses.

ACCIDENT: Two passengers travelling on the roof of a bus died after being hit by a tree branch at Pirmahal on Tuesday.

According to Rescue 1122, when a speeding bus bound for Lahore from Rahim Yar Khan reached the Dera Rana Muhammad Shafiq locality on the Darkhana-Pirmahal Road, the driver lost control and the bus collided with a tree on the side of the road.

They said that three passengers fell from the roof of the bus and were critically injured. One of them identified as Fida Hussain (45) of Pattoki died instantly. Muhammad Usman (24) of Khanewal and Asif Ali (40) of Bhai Pheru were rushed to the Pirmahal THQ Hospital, where Asif also succumbed to his injuries.

Meanwhile, a speeding car hit a motorcycle rickshaw near Talamba in Mian Channu tehsil of Khanewal on Tuesday and ran over and killed a gypsy woman identified as Tasawar Bibi (70). Two car riders also received injuries and were shifted to the Khanewal DHQ Hospital. They were identified as Umair (30) and Muaz (20).

WOMEN KIDNAPPED: Three young women of the same family were allegedly kidnapped in Gojra on Tuesday.

Complainant Samina Nadim Maseeh said in her FIR registered by the Gojra City Police that her daughters Meerab Maryam (20) and Mishal Maryam (18) along with her husband’s sister Sehar Azam worked as domestic help at different houses in the Garden Town locality.

She claimed that they went to work together and had been abducted by unidentified persons.

When contacted, district police spokesperson Attaullah claimed that police were investigating the matter and senior police officers had been deputed by DPO Akhlaqullah Tarar.

Separately, a woman was allegedly kidnapped and raped by a man with the help of his two accomplices in Gojra.

The victim M of Shalimar Town of Toba Tek Singh in her complaint to the Gojra City Police said that she went to Gojra to see her relatives. She claimed that when she was waiting for a bus to return home, accused S of Toba Chak 302 GB came by a car along with his two companions. She claimed that he offered to drop her off and said that he was also going to Toba.

She claimed the accused gave her a sedative mixed in a soft drink and took her to a deserted place near Chak 299 JB where he raped her and his accomplices stood guard. Later, he threw her out of the car on the Samundri Bypass Road, she claimed.

ACTION: Twenty seven policemen have been compulsorily retired from service by Faisalabad Madina Town SP Azhar Javed.

Police spokesperson said the action had been taken due to their continuous absence from duty in their posting places, including at Chak Jhumra, Sargodha Road, People’s Colony, Sahianwala and Madina Town police stations. The officials included Sub Inspector Muhammad Ali, ASI Naeem Khaliq and 25 others.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2026