BAHAWALPUR: The Bahawalpur Bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday ordered the release of 105 activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) arrested following violent protests by the party on May 9.

According to Insaf Lawyers Forum (ILF) president Makhdum Hashmi, who is also their counsel, the arrested PTI workers belonging to Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Lodhran were kept in different jails.

He added that the ILF had filed 73 writ petitions with the Bahawalpur LHC Bench on behalf these activists arrested under Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance.

He added that Justice Tariq Nadeem of the Bahawalpur Bench issued orders of their release.

Mr Hashmi said Bahawalnagar deputy commissioner has also withdrawn his orders regarding the detention of the PTI workers.

WHEAT SEIZED: Assistant Commissioner (AC) Syed Gul Abbas, along with a food department team recovered 2,000

bags of hoarded wheat from a godown owned by one Akram at village No.24 near Khairpur Tamewali.

The AC ordered confiscation of the recovered wheat bags, sealed the godown and moved the case to police for legal action.

INVIGILATOR NABBED: A female invigilator was allegedly caught taking pictures of English question paper during the intermediate exam that began here on Monday.

According to the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) officials, the invigilator was taking pictures of English question paper at the examination centre set up at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Yazman, when caught by special raiding inspector Ms Samina Naz.

The inspector confiscated her mobile phone and forwarded the case for further disciplinary action under the rules to Chairman BISE/Divisional Commissioner, Bahawalpur.

If found guilty, any member of the examination supervisory staff may be handed down three-year imprisonment, with Rs50,000 fine.

Under the rules, mobile phone was not allowed in an examination centre.

LOADSHEDDING: The Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) has resumed unscheduled power loadshedding in Bahawalpur.

According to Mepco officials, with the increase in temperatures and use of air-conditioners by the consumers, the electricity loadshedding has been necessitated to regulate the power load.

The local consumers, who are facing one to two hours power outages, have demanded the Mepco to announce the schedule for loadshedding so that they could plan their daily routines accordingly.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2023