GUJRANWALA, Aug 25: An anti-terrorism court on Thursday remanded six people, including a lawyer, in police custody for two days. Police said they attacked polling station and lifted ballot boxes besides manhandling presiding officers in Gakkhar and Ahmad Nagar UCs during local elections in the first phase on Aug 18.

Police produced Mohsin Butt, Chand Butt, Shero Butt, Advocate Mubasher Cheema and others before the court and pleaded that they have to recover ballot boxes and arms from their possession.

RO APPOINTED: District returning officer Mazhar Husain Minhas appointed returning officers for town nazims here on Thursday.

Judicial magistrate Ayub Khan Marth has been appointed returning officer for Khiali Shahpur town, Rana Riaz Ahmad for Aroop, Wamiq Javed for Wazirabad, Nazir Ahmad for Nandipur, Sohail Akram for Qila Dedar Singh, Amjad Ali Khan for Kamoki and Abid Husain for Naushera Virkan.

Research facilities: The formation of a testing laboratory, cast metal foundry and technical centre on a priority basis here would help local industrialists improve the quality of their products to make them internationally competitive.

This was stated by PCSIR chairman Dr Anwarul Haq at local chamber of commerce and industry meeting here on Thursday.

Mr Haq pointed out that these ISO-certified research laboratories were already benefiting industrialists in Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawer, Islamabad, and Sakerdo. He said the council had worked in agro-chemical, automobile, building material, bio-chemical and ceramic industries, and wanted to introduce new technologies in the textile and water treatment sectors to boost the national economy.

He said Rs198 billion would be spent on the formation of research laboratories and centre at Gujranwala.