BAHAWALPUR: Gaggo Mandi police in Vehari district arrested a shopkeeper for rape of a minor girl at Chak 249/EB on Sunday.

According to police sources, the 14-year-old girl had gone to the shop of the suspect to purchase cold drinks. The suspect pulled his shutter down, raped the minor girl, who raised alarm.

On hearing her screams, when the people rushed to the scene, the suspect fled, leaving his shop. Police registered a case on the girl’s father’s complaint and arrested the suspect.

UPLIFT: The work on provision of missing facilities has started in 117 government schools of district Lodhran, said Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ashraf.

Presiding over a meeting in connection with the launch of the project, the meeting approved the construction of the boundary walls of 65 schools, toilets in 18 schools, 58 classrooms in 38 schools, and new classrooms in three schools.

Meanwhile, DC said that Rs903m would be utilised on eight model villages’ uplift in respect of provision of potable water, sewerage system, parks and streetlights.

MEPCO: The Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) claimed to have successfully covered up two years’ deficit of Rs26bn with a profit of Rs1.05bn.

According to a press release, there was over Rs37bn turnaround during the previous two years and the line losses had now reduced to 11.9 percent from 15.2 percent. It further claimed that the Mepco ‘s recovery rate has also now increased from 98.6pc to 110.8pc.

DEATHS: The body of a young man was retrieved after a 15 hours long search in Abu Dhabi Canal near Uch Sharif.

According to Rescue 1122, Azhar (20) had a family dispute and jumped into the canal in rage and died. The rescuers searched for his body last night but could not find it due to poor visibility. On Sunday, the search was resumed and his body was retrieved.

Meanwhile, a woman Basheeran (45 ) died while two others Waqas (28) and Hajra (55) suffered serious injuries when their motorcycle collided with another motorcycle coming from the opposite direction at Adda 16 near Lal Sohanra on Hasilpur Road. The injured were shifted to the Lal Sohanra Rural Health Center.

In another incident, Fazal Elahi (18) was buried under an earth dune while digging the foundation of a house at Chak 321/ WB on Khanewal Road near Lodhran city. The rescuers retrieved his body from under the heap of earth.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2026