GUJRANWALA, April 24: The DHQ Hospital administration constituted on Saturday a committee to probe into the causes of high mortality rate at the infirmary.
Sources said that District Nazim Fiaz Ahmad Chattha and other senior officers sent a memorandum to the Punjab government to take notice of the high death rate at the DHQ Hospital.
The Punjab government directed the hospital administration to constitute a committee to identify the causes and fix responsibility.
Headed by chief consultant Dr Naeem Mian, the committee comprises all specialists and senior medical officers of the hospital.
The committee started work on Saturday.
WOMEN DIES: A woman died while around a dozen members of her family fell unconscious after taking vegetables, sprayed with pesticides, in Kaleywala village of Ghakar Town on Saturday.
Report reaching here said that Malik Sadiq and all his family members fell unconscious after taking the vegetable. A neighbour took them to a private hospital on his tractor-trolley where Sadiq's wife Hanifan Bibi died.
Malik Sadiq, his sons Altaf Ahmad, Mumtaz Ahmad, Riaz Ahmad, Irfan and Taj Ahmad, daughters Safia Bibi, Tahira Bibi, Anwar Bibi and daughters-in-law Bushra Bibi, Rehana Bibi and Sakina Bibi were later discharged from hospital.
DEATH SENTENCE: An additional district and sessions judge on Saturday awarded death sentence with a fine of Rs200,000 to a man for killing his aunt.
The court, however, acquitted other accused women Naziran Bibi, Sagiran Bibi and Vakilan Bibi, by giving them the benefit of the doubt.
According to the prosecution, Manzoor had on July 19, 2003, killed his aunt Shamim Bibi over a family feud.
STATEMENTS RECORDED: The anti-terrorism court (ATC) No 1 on Saturday again recorded the statements of two Sarai Alamgir police officials in the murder case of former provincial minister Chaudhry Farooq Ahmad.
The court again recorded the statements of sub-inspectors Yaqoob, Siddique and assistant sub-inspector Yaqoob on the request of the complainant.
Later, Judge Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah adjourned for April 26 the case.
ANNOUNCEMENT HAILED: The Teachers Welfare Association and other organizations of government employees on Saturday hoped that President Gen Pervez Musharraf would increase the salaries in the next budget.
Association president Muhammad Nasir and office-bearers of other organizations welcomed in separate statements the announcement of the president in this regard.