GUJRANWALA, June 29 A body representing pensioners has criticised banks for seeking proof of theirs being alive every month and called for restoration of the old system of pension distribution.

At a meeting here on Tuesday, All Pakistan Local Government Workers Federation's representative Naseeruddin Humayun Malik said elderly pensioners had to wait for a long time at banks to get their meagre pension amounts. He said that bank managers were asking pensioners every month to provide proof of theirs being alive.

PROTEST AGAINST POLICE The family of a salesman, who was allegedly killed by Alipur Chattha police, staged a protest and blocked the main road here on Tuesday.

Police arrested Kashif a few days ago after Malik Siraj, the owner of the medical store where the former was working as a salesman, got a theft case registered against him. However, the police later released Kashif.

Police arrested Kashif again on Monday and allegedly beat him to death during the investigation.

During the protest, Kashif's family called for registration of murder case against police officials. Alipur Chattha police said Kashif committed suicide.

GCCI BODY RESTORED Lahore High Court's Rawalpindi Bench has suspended the order of a trade organisation's director general and commerce secretary and restored an elected body of the Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).

GCCI President Khalid Mehmood Chadha told newsmen here on Tuesday that the court also dissolved a scrutiny committee of the chamber. He said all GCCI office-bearers who were elected in the annual election had resumed their work.

BEATEN TO DEATH A woman was allegedly beaten to death by the owner of the house she was living in, in Aroop Town on Tuesday.

Khalida was living in a house owned by Sughra for the last many months. When Sughra asked her to vacate her house, Khalida refused and filed a petition in the court against the house owner. Sughra called in her relatives, who allegedly beat Khalida to death.

Aroop police have registered a case against Sughra and her relatives.

BODY FOUND Police found the bullet-ridden body of a Musarrat of Farid Town in a field.