SAHIWAL, Oct 20: The district police instituted a case against eight people, including a so-called spiritual healer and a nikah registrar, for preparing fake `nikah nama’ (marriage document) of a girl at Chak 93/6-R on Friday.

According to reports, Sobia, the daughter of a widow, Surraya, suffered from some protracted illness. A fake spiritual healer, Pir Muhammad Shafqat, would come to the house of the widow to treat the girl.

As the girl got recovered from the illness, her mother fixed her engagement.

On the day of engagement, Shafqat arrived at the girl’s house and allegedly produced the fake marriage document, claiming he was already married to Sobia.

The widow reported the incident to the Farid Town police which registered a case against Shafqat, the nikah registrar and six others. Further investigation was under way.

DISTILLERIES: The Harappa police claimed to have unearthed two running distilleries and seized liquor and related apparatus, arresting three men for alleged involvement in the business.

The first raid was conducted in Basti Qasim on a distillery from where the police seized 180 liquor bottles and apparatus, besides arresting Fakhar and his son Zakir.

In the other raid conducted on a distillery, police arrested Afzal.

Meanwhile, Dera Rahim police conducted raid in Chak 106/9-L and seized 40 liquor bottles, arresting Muhammad Yaseen.

Cases have been registered.

Opinion

Editorial

A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...
GB polls’ aftermath
Updated 11 Jun, 2026

GB polls’ aftermath

The new administration must address the region’s issues proactively.
Peace in retreat
11 Jun, 2026

Peace in retreat

THE ceasefire announced in April was supposed to create space for negotiations. Instead, it has been repeatedly...
A few good men
11 Jun, 2026

A few good men

IT was a brave move, no doubt. This Tuesday, in the land of the Afghan Taliban, a few good men decided to take a...