BAHAWALPUR, May 22 Vast tract was inundated owing to a breach in 6-L branch, a distributary of AP canal near Mubarakpur (about 35 kilometres from here), on Saturday.

The irrigation officials, who confirmed the breach to Dawn, blamed it on “digging of embankments” by rats. They ruled out the suspicion of digging by water thieves.

The officials said the breach was plugged within an hour, saving the farmers from any major loss. Many cultivators, however, protested what they said negligence of the officials.

BAR'S APPEAL The executive council of the Lahore High Court Bar Association's Bahawalpur chapter at its meeting on Saturday appealed to the chief justice to declare Monday a holiday for the courts in the division on the eve of the 43rd death anniversary of the late Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi.

A resolution passed at the meeting said that during previous years the LHC had declared May 24 a closed holiday for courts here in recognition of services of the late Bahawalpur Nawab and the civil administration also declares local holiday every year.

MECHANICAL OVENS The Punjab government is working on installation of modern mechanical ovens to provide subsidised roti to the people, according to Punjab Secretary for Industries Shahid Khan who presided over a meeting here in connection with the “Sasti Roti Scheme”.

PROTEST CAMP Leaders and workers of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Saturday set up a camp at Farid Gate to protest against the sacrilegious caricatures, demanding that the government should lodge a vociferous protest with the quarters concerned.