BAHAWALPUR: A large number of people, including women activists of different forums, took out a rally here on Sunday, demanding restoration of Bahawalpur as a separate province.
The leaders of a different organisations and fronts, including women activists, working for the restoration of Bahawalpur province gathered at local press club.
Addressing the activists, the speakers demanded the PML-N-led federal and Punjab governments to declare Bahawalpur as a separate province, which had this status in the 50s after the dissolution of One Unit.
The speakers, including former parliamentary leader Syed Tabish Alwari, Kissan Board chief Jam Hazoor Baksh, Bahawalpur Women Front activist Ms Shazia Noreen, Bahawalpur United Front’s Akram Ansari and several others criticised former chief martial law administrator Late Gen Yahyah Khan, saying he deprive the local population of their just right of a separate province through “illegal” Legal Framework Order (LFO).
Recalling the struggle for a separate province they reminded that on April 24, 1974, police had opened fire on a huge rally by locals demanding provincial status for Bahawalpur, and two workers of Bahawalpur United Front had laid down their lives for the cause.
Later, the leaders and workers, including a large number of women, took out a rally from local press club, led by Syed Tabish Alwari and Jam Hazoor Baksh.
The rally passed from the main roads of the city, reminding the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of their commitment to accept the demand and the two resolutions passed by the Punjab Assembly -- one to restore Bahawalpur as a separate province and the other regarding creation of ‘South Punjab’ province.
The participants pledges to continue their struggle till the acceptance of their demand.
A man allegedly drowned in Chhar Canal at Ali Wali Pul near Aligarh College, Kahrorepucca, to escape arrest by police on Saturday night.
As per police and Rescue 1122 officials in Lodhran, a suspect, lateridentified as Daud, an alleged drug peddler wanted in a case, was being chased by some officials of Kahrorepucca police for his arrest.
The officials claim that the suspect, in a bid to avoid arrest, jumped into the canal, which is about 15 feet deep, and drowned.
The rescuers, on an emergency call, rushed to the scene and launched a search operation in he canal, but the body could not be found. The operation was discontinued on Saturday evening for poor light.
According to Rescue 1122 Media Coordinator Mr Safdar, despite 10-hour-long SCUBA (self-contained underwater breathing Apparatus) divers’ operation on Sunday, the body could not be found so far.
Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2026
