BAHAWALPUR: Thousands of patients seeking stone removal procedure through endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in Bahawalpur and nearby localities have to travel to Multan or other cities as the three public sector hospitals in the city lack the facility.

As per details, the Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Nawab Sadiq Hospital and Government Female Jubilee Hospital are the three major government hospitals in the area serving hundreds of thousands of patients.

The BVH, with a capacity of over 1,500 beds, is one of the main hospitals of south Punjab. Thousands of patients from Sadiqabad to Lodhran and Bahawalnagar seek treatment at the hospital, while daily over six to seven thousands patients visit its emergency ward and OPD for treatment.

The Nawab Sadiq Hospital has 411 beds, but lacks this operation facility. In addition, the female government hospital is also an old hospital but it too is without this facility.

Thousands of patients visit these hospitals, mainly the BVH, but cannot undergo the stone extraction procedure due to the lack of the facility. The patients have to spend millions of rupees and travel either to the Nishtar Hospital, Multan, or seek private treatment at a hospital in Lodhran.

BVH Medical Superintendent Dr Abdul Rehman Chandio told Dawn that for ERCP, a costly machine called C-Arm, costing around Rs10 million, was required and the government had been approached for the provision of the funds.

He expressed the hope that in the near future, BVH would be allocated necessary funds for this purpose, after which this facility could also be made available to the needy patients.

RAPE: Three vagabonds allegedly gang-raped a 14-year-old boy in Hisar Colony in Vehari district on Wednesday.

According to police sources, H, son of a labourer, was playing in his street when suspect R lured him to his house. The teenager was allegedly raped by him and two of his accomplices M and A. They also allegedly recorded a video of the incident and threatened the victim. On his return, the victim told his father, who filed a complaint with the Gaggo Mandi police.

The police registered the case and sent the victim for medical examination.

Raids were being conducted to arrest the accused, police said.

FINES: The regional office of the Bahawalpur Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) claimed to have recovered over Rs2.5 million in fines for illegal use, meter tampering, installation of illegal meters and use of compressors during the past one year.

Talking to Dawn, SNGPL Regional Manager Malik Ahmed said that several FIRs against illegal users were also registered and violators had also been arrested during the period.

He said gas connections of 617 compressors users had been disconnected in the region.

cheemA: MNA Tariq Cheema has accused police of not arresting suspects of alleged firing on his son Wali Dad Cheema’s rally, an independent candidate for NA-168 by-election.

At a press conference here on Thursday, he said instead of arresting suspects, the police conducted multiple raids to arrest his supporters nominated in their cross FIR. He alleged that after the attack on his son’s rally on Friday and the registration of its FIR against the men of PML-N’ candidate Malik Munir Iqbal Channar, his opponents got registered a cross FIR.

Police have not so far claimed the arrest of any suspect from either side. Dawn learnt that most of suspects of both FIRs have managed to get interim bails before arrest from local courts.Tariq Cheema claimed that a major vote bank of both PPP and PTI supported his son. He claimed silent PML-N voter was also with his son.

“There will be a major revolution in the area on Sept 27,” he claimed.It may be recalled that PPP high command had announced to support the PML-N candidate and did not field its candidate.

Meanwhile, JUI (Fazal group) led by Maulana Mufti Mazhar Asadi announced to support independent candidate Wali Dad Cheema.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2026