SAHIWAL: The Crime Control Department (CCD) claimed to have arrested a suspected drug trafficker in injured condition after an alleged encounter at Lakain Wala Khoo village on Thursday night, while his accomplice “managed to escape with narcotics.”
According to police sources, a CCD officer, Javed Iqbal and his team were on their way to conduct a raid when they received information that two suspected traffickers were transportinga drug consignment to Shah Mand village on a motorcycle.
Acting on the tip, they said, the CCD team pursued the suspects, who escaped towards Lakain Wala Khoo village, and abandoning their motorcycle took positions in a field, from where they opened fire on the police vehicle.
The CCD personnel retaliate, ensuing a crossfire that lasted nearly 15 minutes.
When the firing stopped, the police searched the area, finding one of the suspects lying injured there, who was identified as Rana Azhar Ali, a resident of Harappa Town.
CCD claims Azhar is wanted in many criminal cases.
The CCD officials say that the injured suspect told them that his accomplice, Sabir Bhatti, has escaped with the drug consignment.
The police claimed to have recovered a 30-bore pistol from the suspect and seized the motorcycle.
The injured suspect was shifted to the Sahiwal Teaching Hospital for medical treatment.
A case was later registered against both suspects under sections 324, 353, 186, 34 of the PPC and Section 13 of the Arms Ordinance.
The CCD officials say raids are underway to arrest the fleeing suspect.
BAIL CANCELLED: Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) special judge rejected the interim bail application of four activists and office-bearers of the banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP)and handed them over to Farid Nagar police, Pakpattan on a three-day physical remand.
The judge ordered that the suspects -- Naseer Khan, Naeem Khan (Advocate), Abdul Gaffar, and Sajjad Hussainand -- be produced again on March 30.The suspects were booked by Farid Nagar police, along with 58 other TLP activists and office-bearers, for creating unrest and disturbing public order during a protest at Jamal Chowk, Pakpattan city, on Oct 13, 2025.
The protest was organised on the call of TLP chief Saad Rizvi, where the participants allegedly chanted slogans against the government, pelted police vehicles with stones and damaged the public property.The police booked 58 protesters under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1996.
Pakpattan DPO Javed Chadhar told Dawn that police have so far arrested 44 suspects, while raids are continuing to apprehend the remaining individuals.
LOCAL HOLIDAY: Sahiwal Deputy Commissioner retired Capt Captain Sami Ullah Farooq has declared April 1 as a local holiday in the district on the occasion of the annual Urs of Baba Muhammad Panah.
A notification issued by the district administration says that all government offices and educational institutions will remain closed on April 1, while emergency services will operate as usual.
On the other hand, Dr Naveed Azmat, Controller, Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, in a separate notification said that on April 1 the papers of the SSC Annual Examination 2026 will not be held as scheduled.
The controller directed all supervisory staff to perform their duties as per routine.
Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2026