TOBA TEK SINGH: A seminary teacher was burnt alive and a student was critically injured when a fire broke out in the Kohiwala Madrassa Hifzul Quran in Khanewal on Sunday.

Rescue 1122 officials said that the fire erupted due to an electric short circuit in the air conditioner and it engulfed the entire room of the seminary.

Firefighters extinguished the fire but the teacher, identified as Hafiz Himayat Khan, had already died in the fire. The injured student, Abdullah (17), was shifted to the Khanewal DHQ Hospital.

Meanwhile, a man fell in a tubewell and died while working in Chak 129/15L near the shrine of Baba Karam Din in the Mian Channu tehsil of Khanewal.

His body was pulled out by the rescuers and he was identified as Muhammad Akbar (55).

In another incident in Mouza Khanuana on Chiniot Road in Jhang, a boy identified as Zohaib (12) fell into the River Chenab after part of its bank washed away. Till the filing of this report, efforts were underway to find the body.

ACCIDENT: An elderly woman died after being hit by a car on Samundari Road in Faisalabad on Sunday. According to Rescue 1122, 67-year-old Jamila Bibi was run over by a speeding car while crossing the road.

ENTRANCE TESTS: The University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) conducted its first entrance test for admissions in MS/MPhil/MSc (Hons), MBA/MBA (Executive) and PhD programmes for the academic session 2026-27.

Around 3,000 applicants appeared in the test.

UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali visited test centers to ensure foolproof arrangements for the entrance test and facilitate the candidates.

Graduate Studies Director Dr Muhammad Khalid Bashir said that online registration for the second entry test would open from July 21 to August 10.

ARREST: The Motorway Police claimed to have arrested four suspects in an alleged fraud case in Nankana Sahib on Sunday.

A Motorway Police spokesperson said that acting on a tip-off from the Safe City Lahore, the Motorway Police arrested the four-member gang from the Motorway M-4 Faisalabad, Pindi Bhatian section.

The Motorway Police also recovered Rs1 million in cash and a vehicle from the suspects, he added.

AFGHANS ARRESTED: The Faisalabad Rail Bazaar Police arrested two Afghan nationals during a crackdown against illegal foreigners.

According to the police, Sub- Inspector Atif Mughal along with his team conducted a raid on the information of an informant and took Imran Baz Khan and Rahimullah Haji Ruidad into custody.

Police claimed that in the initial investigation, the accused said that they had come to Faisalabad from Afghanistan for employment. The police also recovered mobile phones and SIM cards from the possession of the accused.

The police said that a case had been registered against the accused and further action was underway.

LAUNCH: The project “Sanjhi Sabzi, Sasti Nahi Muft Sabzi” was formally launched in the Kamalia tehsil by Assistant Commissioner Irum Shahzadi on Sunday.

She inaugurated the project by sowing seeds of various seasonal vegetables on government land under her supervision. In the initial phase, vegetable cultivation has been started on one kanal government land each in Chak 705 GB and Chak 710 GB.

A press release said that the aim of this initiative was to provide free and quality vegetables to deserving citizens by utilising government resources.

She said the CM had been taking practical steps to provide maximum relief to the people. She said that under the programme, vegetables grown on government land would be distributed free of cost, especially to deserving and poor families, to provide real relief to the people.

CORRUPTION: On the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the CM Inspection Team conducted a surprise inspection of the ongoing Model Village Project in Toba Tek Singh and took action against six persons found involved in corruption on Sunday.

Sources said action was initiated on the revelation that poor quality construction material was being used and alleged corruption. The team, led by Special Assistant Shoaib Mirza, visited the Model Village Project in a village near Toba Tek Singh, where the construction work was reviewed.

According to the team, the use of poor quality and substandard material was found to be used in the project and the laboratory report of the construction materials also did not meet the standards. Based on the report, the anti-corruption authorities took immediate action and on the team’s direction, police arrested six people including the contractor on charges of alleged corruption and poor quality work in this development project.

The arrested accused included Faisalabad Division PRMSC Coordinator Hafiz Talat Mehmood, contractor Amir Nadeem, Muhammad Irfan, Site Inspector Muhammad Irfan Munir, Site Inspector Umair Asghar and Surveyor Umar Sufyan Qadir.

Faisalabad Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Deputy Director Muhammad Sarfraz Warraich said that the accused persons were arrested after it was proved that they were involved in causing losses to the government exchequer to the tune of Rs75.9 million.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2026