BAHAWALPUR, May 5: Over one million wheat bags have been purchased and hoarded by the private sector in the Bahawalpur district. This was disclosed at a meeting held here on Wednesday to review the government's ongoing wheat procurement drive.

The meeting was chaired by District Nazim Tariq Cheema and attended by DCO Imran Ahmad, Bahawalpur division deputy director (food) Abdul Qayyum Lashari and other food officials. The meeting revealed that out of the total aggregate, around 738,221 wheat bags were purchased by 20 flour mills while the remaining 289,669 by 17 licence holders.

It was also given out that at least 16 cases were registered by the police for procuring wheat illegally and hoarding it without valid documents. As of now, the food department had procured 63,063 tons of wheat, the meeting further informed.

Meanwhile, the District Nazim warned that profiteers and hoarders would not be allowed to stock the wheat illegally and a strict action would be taken against the violators.

NOTICES: The Election Commission of Pakistan has served notices on four MNAs and an MPA for allegedly concealing facts about their properties in their returns.

It was learnt that the ECP had served notices on MNAs Mian Mumtaz Ahmed Matyana, Makhdoom Ahmed Alam Anwar, Maj Tanveer Ahmed (retired), Khalid Mahmood Warren and MPA Dr Muhammad Afzal of Yazman, who has already submitted his resignation to the Punjab Assembly speaker.

In their returns to the ECP, they all reportedly did not provide correct information about their plots, jewellery, vehicles, furniture and other costly articles. The ECP has now asked them to submit their replies within a fortnight.

POSTPONED: The execution of a convict was postponed at the New Central Jail here on Wednesday. Faiz Muhammad of Kahrore Pucca was to be hanged on Wednesday, but the Lodhran district and sessions judge, who had handed him down death sentence, ordered its postponement.

He informed the jail superintendent that a compromise between the complainants and the accused party was going on. The convict had shot dead his four relatives in 1996 when they were on their way to a court for recording their evidence.

CASE: The Bahawalpur police on Wednesday registered a case under 16 MPO against six ulema for delivering objectionable speeches at Mouza Hateji near here on Tuesday.

Those booked were: Ali Sher Hyderi, Dr Khadim Hussain Dhilon, Maulana Khalil Ahmed, Maulana Yar Muhammad, Muhammad Abid and Muhammad Qasim. However, no arrest has so far been made in this respect.

Opinion

Editorial

Collective security
Updated 12 Mar, 2026

Collective security

Regional states need to sit down and talk. They must also pledge and work towards collective security.
Spectrum leap
12 Mar, 2026

Spectrum leap

THE sale of 480 MHz of fifth-generation telecom spectrum for $507m is a major milestone in Pakistan’s digital...
Toxic fallout
12 Mar, 2026

Toxic fallout

WARS can leave environmental scars that remain long after the fighting is over. The strikes on Iran’s oil...
Token austerity
Updated 11 Mar, 2026

Token austerity

The ‘austerity’ measures are a ritualistic response to public anger rather than a sincere attempt to reform state spending.
Lebanon on fire
11 Mar, 2026

Lebanon on fire

WHILE the entire Gulf region has become an active warzone, repercussions of this conflict have spread to the...
Canine crisis
11 Mar, 2026

Canine crisis

KARACHI’S stray dog crisis requires urgent attention. Feral canines can cause serious and lasting physical and...