GUJRANWALA, Dec 13: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal central leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman has accused the government of eliminating Islamic culture from the country by implementing US agenda and defaming Madaris and ulema on various pretexts.

Talking to newsmen here on Monday, he said religious parties and ulema would continue their campaign against the government. He said President Musharraf should shed his uniform by Dec 31.

He also criticized the state minister for religious affairs for defaming seminaries and madaris, and demanded his removal. Later, he visited the Nusratul Aloom at Tower Chowk and met Mufti Abdul Hamid Swati and his brother, Maulana Mohammad Sarfraz Khan, in Ghakkhar Town.

SENT TO JAIL: The local anti-terrorism court No 2 on Monday sent to jail on judicial remand the 33 workers and rice mill owners who had attacked the municipal judicial magistrate and his staff a week ago in Eminabad. Rice mills owners, including Shaikh Sarwar, filed a bail application before the court which was accepted by the court. The judge adjourned the case for Dec 15.

ARRESTED: The Federal Investigation Agency arrested three human smugglers, including a sub-inspector of police, and got their physical remand from a local court on Monday.

SI Abbas Cheema of Saidewali village, Wazirabad, Rana Mohammad Afzal of Baghbanpura, Gujranwala, and Basharat Ali of Changan, Daska, received hundreds of thousands of rupees from Mansha, Tariq, Ismael Ansari and others for sending them abroad. But they neither sent them abroad nor returned their money.

CAUGHT: Two robbers were caught by a filling station guard when they were fleeing after looting the cashier on Monday. Cashier Faisal Yousaf was counting the cash when the bandits snatched cash from him and ran away. Guard Hasan Khan chased and caught them. They were identified as Asif and Abid Shah of Gujranwala Cantt.

Opinion

Editorial

Iran stalemate
Updated 02 May, 2026

Iran stalemate

THE US and Iran are currently somewhere between war and peace. While a tenuous ceasefire — extended largely due to...
Tax shortfall
02 May, 2026

Tax shortfall

THE Rs684bn shortfall in tax collection during the first 10 months of the fiscal year is a continuation of a...
Teaching inclusion
02 May, 2026

Teaching inclusion

DISCRIMINATORY and exclusionary content in Punjab’s textbooks has been flagged in Inclusive Education for a United...
Water vision
01 May, 2026

Water vision

WATER insecurity in Pakistan has been building up for decades as per capita water availability has declined from...
Vaccine policy
01 May, 2026

Vaccine policy

PAKISTAN has finally approved its first National Vaccine Policy; a step the health ministry has rightly described as...
Labour rights
Updated 01 May, 2026

Labour rights

THE annual observance of May Day should move beyond statements about the state’s commitment to the rights of...