MULTAN, July 18: Three friends drowned while swimming in Abbasia Canal near Head Panjnad in Uch Sharif area of the Bahawalpur district on Friday.

Taufeeq, Imran and Ibrar of Taranda Muhammad Panah, Rahim Yar Khan district, went to the recently opened canal for some recreation.

In a revelling mood, they decided to dive simultaneously in the canal at the point where water was gushing out from the headworks.

Unfortunately, they could not surface again.

After waiting for sometime, the other picnickers informed the Irrigation department officials and the nearest police station about their missing. Later, the divers were called out who fished out bodies of Taufeeq and Ibrar.

The search for the body of Imran was going on till the filing of this story.

Taufeeq belonged to Mailsi and was staying at Taranda for business while Ibrar was a student of FSc.