GUJRANWALA, July 19: The low-paid government employees staged a protest demonstration against the price-hike here on Saturday.

Employees of almost all government functionaries, including education and health, gathered in the compound of their office and later staged the demonstration.

Carrying banners and placards, they also chanted slogans against the government for its failure to check the price-hike.

Speaking on the occasion, leaders of labour unions Khushi Muhammad Khoker and Mian Ataur Rehman said that senior officers were enjoying all facilities while the low-paid employees were facing hard time.

They demanded that their salaries should be enhanced in proportion to the price-hike. They also demanded increase in their allowances and the reduction in electricity and gas tariffs

They threatened that they would go on strike if their genuine demands were not met immediately.

ESCAPE: Two accused involved in a theft case escaped from the police lock-up after breaking its window here on Saturday.

The Saddar police arrested Faisal and Younas Ali in the theft case and detained them at Lohianwala police post. Police guard Shaukat Iqbal was inducted outside the lock-up.

It was stated that both the accused broke the window of the lock-up and escaped while the guard and other staff remained asleep. The police teams were conducting raids at their hideouts, but they could not be arrested till the filing of this report.

boy found: The body of a minor boy who was kidnapped by three people was found from a drain in Ghakkhar town on Saturday.

Saqib, 7, son of labourer Hidayat of Sultanpura locality, was playing in the street when accused Nasir, Afzal and Malik Shah Muhammad kidnapped him and took to deserted place. They allegedly sodomized him. They later killed him, threw his body in a drain and told the family that Saqib had drowned.

Police have arrested them and registered a case against them.

KILLS FATHER: A youth shot dead his father on Saturday over a property dispute at Ghanoki village.

Nazir Ahmad, who divorced his wife, refused to give the share of an agriculture land to his son Ijaz Ahmed. He fell in a rage and shot dead his father.

MAN DIES: A man was killed while two others injured after falling from a wall of an under-construction house in Khiali locality here on Saturday.

Azhar of Muzaffargarh was working along with labourers Razzaq and Shafi when they fell on the ground. Azhar died on the spot while Razzaq and Shafi sustained injuries.

They have been admitted to hospital in critical condition.