TOBA TEK SINGH: Scores of powerloom workers staged a protest demonstration on Thursday in front of the Labour Welfare Department (LWD) directorate of Faisalabad to demand a raise in their wages.

Addressing the workers, Labour Qaumi Movement Chairman Baba Latif Ansari said that in the new budget, minimum wage of labourers should be set at Rs80,000 per month.

Later, a delegation of labour leaders met LWD Director Yasin Kharal and presented him with a 16-point charter of demands for the upcoming budget. It included at least a 50pc increase in wages of powerloom workers in view of inflation, issuance of social security and EOBI cards to all workers, immediate registration of unregistered powerloom factories, implementation of health and safety laws and deputation of separate staff for cleanliness in factories.

They also demanded that the Punjab workers welfare board ensure payments within three months of receiving applications for marriage and death grants and educational scholarships.

ACCIDENT: As many as 13 persons of the same family were injured when a speeding mini truck in which they were travelling overturned near Kot Mapal on Jhang Road in Shorkot early on Thursday morning.

Rescue 1122 officials said that the gypsy family was going to Sialkot from Multan. Rescuers provided them with first aid and shifted them to the Shorkot THQ Hospital.

They were identified as Muhammad Nadeem (25), Hajira Shahbaz (35), Shahbaz Nawaz (40), Jannat Mai (50), Shafiq Shahbaz (8), Sakina Saeed (60), Samina Nawaz (22), Ibrahim (39), Farzana Munir (24), Muhammad Khalil (32), Rahima Bibi (50), Mukhtar (50) and Habib (55).

Meanwhile, a motorcycle rider died after his speeding bike collided with a tractor trolley parked on the roadside near Fiedmc on Chak Jhumra Road in Faisalabad.

According to Rescue 1122, Abdul Manan (19) of Gojra Chak 157 GB was critically wounded and he was shifted to the Chak Jhumra THQ Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2026