SARGODHA: The district administration has set the target of wheat cultivation on an area of 533,000 acres in the Sargodha district during the current cultivation season.
A meeting chaired by the deputy commissioner on Wednesday decided that wheat would be cultivated on an area of 110,000 acres in the Sargodha tehsil, 85,000 acres in Bhalwal and Bhera, 98,000 acres in Kot Momin, 96,000 acres in Shahpur, 80,000 acres in Sahiwal, while 71,000 acres in Sillanwali.
The meeting was informed that sufficient quantities of high-quality seeds were available across the district. Furthermore, the Punjab Seed Corporation had 30,000 bags of seeds available in the district, while private dealers had 7,500 bags which were being provided at Rs5,500 per 50kg bag. Similarly, 58,800 bags of urea fertiliser and 22,164 bags of DAP were also available in the market.
Addressing the meeting, the DC said that all departments should play an active role in achieving the set target of wheat sowing. He directed that committees should be formed at all levels to effectively monitor the campaign and ensure wheat cultivation on government land as well. He directed to ensure the availability of seeds and fertilisers at the model agri malls and sought a weekly report from the agriculture department. He further said that numbedars, union council secretaries and other stakeholders should also be included in the campaign for the convenience of farmers.
The meeting was informed that 25,938 farmers across the district had been given the kisan cards, while 300 farmers had been provided with tractors under phase one of the green tractor scheme. While 14,537 applications had been received for phase two, out of which 330 were selected through a lottery and their files were being processed.
The meeting was attended by Agriculture Deputy Director Muhammad Gauhar, assistant commissioners, officers of the relevant departments and farmer representatives.
ANTI-ENCROACHMENT DRIVE: An anti-encroachment operation was held in Sargodha city and its surroundings by the Pera force and anti-encroachment teams under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner Shirin Gul.
During the operation, dozens of illegal structures, permanent shops and temporary encroachments in Chak 46 and Pul 111 on the Faisalabad Road were demolished. The teams used heavy machinery to remove the walls and platforms and traders were warned that any future encroachments would be confiscated, and strict legal action would be taken against the violators.
Officials said that the ongoing operation aimed to provide better transportation facilities to citizens, maintain the flow of traffic and make the city free from encroachments.
Earlier, the Pera force removed dozens of illegal stalls, huts and occupations around the small vegetable market.
DEATH PENALTY: The Sahiwal additional district and session judge awarded death penalty on three counts to triple murder accused Muhammad Sohail and acquitted other two suspects in the case.
The court announced the verdict in a February 2023 murder case in which three gunmen, Muhammad Sohail, Nasir Abbas, and Muhammad Ashraf, had shot at and killed lawyer Zafar Iqbal’s brother and mother, Mudasar Umar and Manzooran Bibi, and his brother-in-law, Nadeem Abbas, and injured Agha Preim over a family dispute in Mohallah Hussain Abad of Sahiwal.
The court also handed down seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.200,000 for murderous assault and the convict was ordered to pay a compensation of Rs550,000 to each of the legal heirs of the deceased. Other suspects, Nasir Abbas and Muhammad Ashraf, were acquitted by the court.
Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2025