BAHAWALPUR: Divisional Commissioner retired Capt Muhammad Zafar Iqbal on Monday ordered the metropolitan corporation (MC) and other attached departments to immediately launch an anti-encroachment campaign in the city.

According to an official handout, the commissioner, who is also the administrator of the MC, took serious notice of public complaints against encroachments in the bazaars where the shopkeepers had illegally extended their shops, creating hurdles in the smooth flow of vehicular traffic and the general people.

According to press release, Mr Iqbal paid a surprise visit to Shahi Bazaar last night where he reprimanded the officials of the MC officials and other departments concerned who were accompanying him and ordered them to get the encroachments cleared.

On the instruction of the commissioner, Additional Commissioner (Revenue) Khalid Ahmed called a meeting, which took stock of the situation arising out of these encroachments and ordered the agencies concerned to take measures to do the needful.

Meanwhile, the commissioner, during his inspection of the Panahgah at the Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH), directed instructions for improvement of the sanitary conditions in the washrooms and raise the Panahgah’s capacity from 150 persons who fed regularly along with the provision of warm blankets and quilts.

The commissioner directed the officials to establish another Panahgah at the Government Civil Hospital, Jhangiwali Road, for the deserving persons and sought assistance of the philanthropists to run these Panahgahs.

ATTIQUE: Former prime minister of Azad Jammu Kashmir Sardar Attiq Khan has expressed confidence that the Pakistan government would continue unflinching support of the people of Kashmir for their freedom from the Indian yoke.

At a media talk at Qaimpur, Sardar Attique Khan condemned the Indian government for their tyranny against the Kashmiri people in held Kashmir and urged the United Nations to grant the people of Kashmir their basic right to self-determination. He expressed hope that the struggle of the Kashmiri people would one day prove successful.

POACHERS: Deputy Director Wildlife Zahid Ali said two poachers from Vehari were arrested for illegal hunting in Cholistan and recovered slaughtered birds from their possession.

The suspects were identified as Zahid Ali and Sufian.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2021