SARGODHA: Workers of the Suthra Punjab in Miani closed the Bhera-Malakwal Road on Wednesday to protest non-payment of salaries for the last two months.

The protesting workers chanted slogans against the government and relevant authorities and demanded immediate payment of their due salaries. They said that they would expand the scope of their protests if the issue was not resolved soon.

ACCIDENT: A 13-year-old student from Kot Momin died and two female students, Zawaya Batool (7) and Marwa Batool (12), were seriously injured in a collision between a motorcycle and a speeding dumper truck.

According to details, Fakhar (13) from Gulpur area died in the collision near Chak 20 SB of Kot Momin on the Midh Ranjha Road in Sargodha, while the two female students sustained injuries.

They were shifted to the THQ Hospital, while the police reached the spot and were investigating and the search for the dumper driver was ongoing.

POULTRY SHEDS: The Divisional Environmental Committee has approved NOCs for 38 poultry sheds, including six in Sargodha, fifteen in Bhakkar, eight in Mianwali and nine in Khushab.

In a meeting held by the committee, Commissioner Hafiz Shaukat Ali said that according to the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, environmental protection was being ensured at all costs.

He directed strict implementation of environmental laws and SOPs in the establishment of poultry sheds, so that a clean and safe environment could be provided to the public.

The commissioner said that maintaining a balance between development activities and environmental protection was the top priority of the Punjab government, and no negligence would be tolerated in this regard.

PRICE GOUGING: As many as 177 people have been arrested, eight cases registered and 122 shops have been sealed in a crackdown on overpricing in Sargodha during the current month.

The crackdown has been ongoing on the orders of Sargodha Deputy Commissioner Hussain Ahmed Raza Chaudhry and price control magistrates have so far conducted 45,197 inspections across the district and imposed a fine of more than Rs1.1 million.

The DC said that no concession would be made to elements involved in artificial inflation and hoarding. He said that providing relief to the people was the top priority of the district administration and all resources were being utilised for this purpose.

He further said that the price control magistrates should visit markets on a daily basis and ensure that prices of essential commodities were as per the official price lists.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2026