HAFIZABAD

The doctors and paramedical staff of 32 rural health centres and basic health units working under the Punjab Rural Support Programme in Hafizabad district have protested against non-payment of their salaries causing mental agony and inconvenience in running their domestic affairs.
Safdar Ali President Staff Association said that 125 doctors and paramedical staff is serving in the 32 RHCs and BHUs but despite requests their salaries have not yet been made. He demanded immediate payment of their salaries.
Likewise, the Chemists and Druggists have protested against the amendment in the Drugs Act 1976 and called upon the government to withdraw the amendment otherwise they would be constrained to resort to hunger strike in front of the Punjab Assembly.
Addressing a press conference, Chairman of the Chemists and Druggists Association Hafiz Amanat Ali and Secretary General Khalid Akhtar said that the amendment has created sense of harassment among them. They pointed out that in the past spurious medicines manufacturers/factories were penalised but the new amendment has also made medical stores owner responsible for the substandard medicines which were not prepared by them. Moreover, he said that the amendment is a draconian law and sheer injustice towards the shopkeepers. They said that the companies preparing substandard drugs should only be made responsible and not the owners of medical store.
CENTRE SET UP: Anjuman Naujawanan-e-Hafizabad and Gulzar-Dost Welfare Association have set up rehabilitation centre for the addicts and free dispensary on Bagh Road near Hassan Town.
While inaugurating the centre and dispensary, MPA Malik Fayyaz Ahmad Awan appreciated the services of the Anjuman for setting up rehabilitation centre for the addicts. As there is no such centre established by the government, the Anjuman’s imitative is laudable, he maintained. He also gave donation of Rs. five thousand for the centre and assured the organizers that funds from government would also be provided for the noble tasks.
ROBBERY: Unidentified bandits barged into the house of Syed Masham Raza Trimzi in Mohallah Islampura last night and have made off with gold ornaments, cell phones and cash worth over Rs2 lakh.
ACCIDENT: A 20-year-old boy of Mohallah Bahawalpura was run over and crushed by a speeding truck on Gujranwala Road.
According to police source, Ahmad Raza along with his father Mukhtar Ahmad was on way to Gujranwala Road. Near Saddar police station, another bike rider coming from opposite direction hit his bike. As a result of which both father and son fell down from the two wheelers and in the mean time a speeding truck crushed Ahmad Raza under its wheels. The police have arrested the driver and impounded the truck.
PLEDGE: Christian Community is fully determined to weed out terrorism and extremism in the country, said Tahir Naveed Chaudhry, chairman of All Pakistan Minorities Alliance.
Inaugurating newly constructed Church in Muhgalpura, he said that Christians are prepared to render supreme sacrifices for the integrity and solidarity of the country. He further said that in the past efforts had been made by the vested interests to create wedge between Muslims and Minorities but we had foiled the evil designs of enemies of the country. He also vehemently condemned the martyrdom Col. (R) Shuja Khanzada Interior Minister of the Punjab. He urged the Christian Community living in the area to forge greater unity and work shoulder to shoulder with the Muslim brothern for the national cohesion and prosperity.
While addressing the gathering, former MNA Ch. Mehdi Hassan Bhatti said that Christian community in the district always remained peaceful and worked for the progress and prosperity of the country since its inception.