MUZAFFARGARH, Oct 10: Four teenaged picnickers are feared dead after drowning in the Chenab River here on Friday.

Eight students of Magsi Baloch family of Muzaffargarh city went to Chack Mithan Wali near Moli Sippar No 2 for picnicking. They were swimming in the river when four of them, including two brothers, drowned. They were later identified as Yasir Abbas, Adeel Abbas, Amir Abbas Hussain and Fraz Abbas.

City DSP Qayumme Qaisrani told Dawn that police and civil defense officials were busy in rescue activities. Civil Defense Officer Shakib Khan said that all the four victims might have expired and their bodies would be fished out soon.

MNA Jamshed Dasti and District Police Officer Shehzad Sultan also reached the spot and monitored the rescue activities.

Abid Magsi, a family member, told Dawn that all the victims aged between 14 to 16 years.

An official told Dawn that no diving jacket or other safety apparatuses was available with the district administration to be used in case of any emergency, particularly when two gigantic rivers, Chenab and Indus, were flowing in the district.

On August 14, 2007, a boat had capsized in the Chenab River and eight people were drowned. Their bodies were fished out after two days by army divers.

Dasti said he would raise the issue in the National Assembly.