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GUJRANWALA, Sept 20: Some proclaimed offenders attacked a filling station and held hostage two employees for not paying protection money at Jora village in Wazirabad on Wednesday.
Reports reaching here said some proclaimed offenders who were involved in several incidents of heinous crime had been demanding Rs15 million protection money from filling station owner Chaudhry Bashir Ahmad, who is uncle of Jora union council nazim Chaudhry Imtiaz Ahmad Bagri, for the last several days.
They had already attacked his house for not accepting their demand. On Wednesday, the culprits rang up Chaudhry Bashir and repeated the demand which was turned down.
The POs turned infuriated and opened indiscriminate fire on reaching the filling station and held up Abdul Ghafoor and Amanat Ali. In the meantime, the security guard and armed villagers came there and returned fire, making the assailants flee.
It is pertinent to mention that a number of POs of Wazirabad had taken refuge near the river Chenab and Bela and demanding forced tax from the affluent.
The police have registered a case against the assailants.
US envoy: The US consulate secretary for political affairs Ms Amenta Place visited here on Wednesday and met with political leaders of different parties.
She exchanged views on the prevailing political situation in the country with Punjab MMA chief and MNA Maulana Qazi Hamidullah, provincial PML-N chief organizer and former federal minister Ghulam Dastagir Khan, PPP central leader Muhammad Aslam Lone and other leaders.
They apprised the US consulate that there was no real democracy in the country and almost all democratic institutions had been destroyed.
She was also informed that the lawlessness and incidence of dacoities, robberies, murders and other heinous crimes were alarmingly on the rise and that the people felt themselves insecure.
They told her that there was also a surge in suicide incidents among the jobless youth, which was a cause of great concern.
They suggested that free, fair and transparent elections should be held to bring in the country the real democracy.
VARSITY CAMPUS: The city district government has acquired around 110 acres of more agricultural land for the construction of Punjab University’s Gujranwala campus and the hostel for students.
This was stated by campus director Dr Liaquat Ali while talking to Dawn here on Wednesday.
He said that 10 acres of land has been acquired adjacent to the present rented building of the university campus while 100 acres on Sialkot Road for the hostel.
The campus administration wanted to provide better facilities to students after the construction of its own building and the hostel. He hinted that the construction work would be started shortly.
ROLL NUMBERS: The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Gujranwala issued roll number slips to candidates for the secondary school supplementary examination, 2006, to be commenced from Sept 28.
This was stated by controller examination Dr Mumtaz Ahmad Awan in a press release issued here on Wednesday.
He advised candidates to contact the board assistant controller (matric) in person or phone 9200753-54 if they did not receive their roll number slips till Sept 25.
ENCROACHMENTS: The Qila Deedar Singh Town will launch an anti-encroachment operation in almost all markets and roads in the city on Thursday (today).
This was stated by Town Naib Nazim Tariq Javed Butt while speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday.
He said four teams, comprising 40 members, had been constituted for the campaign. He warned that the business community would not be allowed to grab the state land and appealed to the shopkeepers to cooperate with the government.
INJURED: A scrap dealer suffered burns when a defective bomb burst in Kotwali area on Wednesday.
Reports said Muhammad Shafiq, 50, was smashing scrap when a defective bomb exploded. Shafiq suffered injuries and was taken to the District Headquarters Hospital in critical condition.
SNAKE BITE: A farmer died from snake bite here on Wednesday at Gajergola village, Alipur Chattha.
Reports said Baber Ali (18) was chopping fodder for his animals when he was bitten by a snake. He was admitted to hospital where he died.
