GUJRANWALA, April 23: A joint raiding team of police and food officials seized over 15,000 wheat bags laden on 75 trucks which were being smuggled to tribal areas on GT Road here on Friday.
The raiding team also arrested a truck driver, Muhammad Bilal, and its cleaner Nisar Ahmed when they were fleeing after smashing the barrier on the GT Road in the limits of Kamoke Sadar.
The district government has imposed a ban on the wheat movement from one district to another. Around half a dozen check posts have been set up at Wazirabad, Sadhoki, Baigpur, Bhri Shah Rehman, Head Qadirabad and Kali Soba (Wahando) to combat the wheat movement under Section 144.
At these check points, the raiding team recovered the smuggled wheat and shifted it to the godowns of the Food department. The district food controller warned that smuggling of wheat would be checked strictly, while the target of wheat buying would be completed at all cost.
SHORTAGE: The local chamber of commerce and industry on Friday gave went to its disquiet over an acute shortage of raw material of bricks and apprehended closure of scores of industrial units.
Speaking at a meeting, GCCI president Shaukat Javed said the alumina clay was the main raw material for manufacturing the firebricks which were being used for the last 40 years. But its supply had been stopped since long from Kala Chitta area, Attock district.
Therefore, he said manufacturers were facing problems in getting the raw material for manufacturing firebricks, ceramics, glass and other products. About 10 million tons of firebricks were being produced annually in the country while this industry was contributing Rs150 million share to the national exchequer.
He revealed that several firebricks units had been closed in Gujranwala due to non-availability of raw material. He demanded that the supply of raw material should be ensured to save this industry from total collapse.
STONED TO DEATH: A woman was stoned to death by her husband over some domestic dispute in Rahwali on Friday. Deceased Azra Bibi was present in her house when Nazir Ahmad quarrelled with her. In rage, he killed her wife after throwing stones on her. Cantonment police have registered a case against the absconding accused.