BAHAWALPUR: A massive fire broke out in the auditorium of the Literacy Department at Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB) on Hasilpur Road, destroying furniture.

According to Rescue 1122, four fire trucks, two ambulances and a rescue vehicle were dispatched to control the blaze.

The fire reportedly started due to an electrical short-circuit in the auditorium’s air-conditioner. No casualties were reported as the auditorium was vacant at the time of the incident.

IUB issued a press release stating that Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Kamran supervised the firefighting, rescue operations and post-fire cooling efforts.

Director of Media Shehzad Khalid told Dawn that the auditorium had a seating capacity of 150. He added that the vice-chancellor had formed an inquiry committee led by a faculty dean to investigate the cause of the fire, assess the damage, and recommend repairs and renovations.

ENCOUNTER: Cantonment Police arrested an injured suspected robber, Irfan alias Chutki, after an encounter near the Sadiq Public School checkpoint on Ahmedpur East Highway. According to the police, three gunmen had snatched a motorcycle at gunpoint and were fleeing when intercepted by police.

The suspects opened fire on the police, who returned fire. During the exchange, Irfan was injured, reportedly by bullets fired by his own fleeing accomplices, while the other two suspects escaped under cover of darkness.

Irfan, who is wanted in eight criminal cases, was taken to the hospital for treatment. A new case was registered against the absconding suspects, and a search operation is underway to arrest them.

COURT: A special banking crime court in Multan sentenced two former managers of the Agriculture Development Bank’s Khan Bela branch in Rahim Yar Khan to 21 years in prison each for embezzling over Rs35 million.

The court convicted branch manager Ibrarul Hasnain and Operations Manager Sajid Abbas, also fining each Rs200,000. They were ordered to repay the embezzled amount, Rs35.11 million, to the bank.

However, the court acquitted two other bank employees, Cashier Sohaib and MCO Shahid Bashir, due to lack of evidence presented by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

DIES: A woman with age reportedly died of starvation while her sister was found in critical condition at their residence in Basti Karna’s Loharan Street, on the outskirts of Bahawalpur.

According to Rescue 1122, the incident came to light after neighbours alerted emergency services. A rescue team rushed to the house, where they found the deceased, Tanveer Mai aged 72, and her 75-year-old sister Salma in a frail condition.

The surviving woman Salma was provided first aid, given food on-site, and then shifted to Bahawal Victoria Hospital for further treatment.

Rescue personnel said the sisters lived alone and had no one to care for them.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2025