HAFIZABAD-Street crime particularly the incidents of dacoity and robbery, bike-snatching and burglaries have been increased alarmingly in the district for the past over a fortnight.
The citizens have called upon the district police to take concrete measures to provide sense of security to the public. According to police sources, three persons were deprived of their two bikes, cellphones and cash at three different places of the district.
Rashed Ali, son of Ashiq Ali of Qila Ram Rang was on the way back to his village on a bike. Near Burj Dara village, three armed bandits intercepted him and snatched a cellphone and Rs25,000 from him.
Another Sikandar Hayat, son of Sohawa Bhatti of Shori Manika was on the way to his village when three bandits intercepted him and snatched bike and Rs2,000 from him. Yet another citizen Muhammad Ilyas, son of Nawab Din of Mohallah Qadeerpura had parked his bike outside the residence of his uncle in Taj Colony and after some time when he came out of the house, he found his bike was lifted away by the criminals.
In another incident, a local businessman was critically injured by two armed dacoits when he put up resistance in broad daylight.
According to police source, Mian Mazhar Hayat, a businessman and correspondent of a private channel of Model Town Hafizabad was on the way to Lahore in his car and when he reached near Muttam village on Bhaka Bhattian Road, two armed bandits intercepted him and attempted to snatch cash amounting to Rs1.7 million. When he displayed courage to foil their attempt, the bandits seriously injured him with the butts of pistols and snatched the cash. He was shifted to hospital. The Kassoki police have registered a case and as usual are investigating.
Two armed criminals stormed the house Muhammad Ashfaq Rajput in Mohallah Sharifpura Sukheke, locked all the family members in a room and made off with two bikes, cash amounting to Rs400,000 and gold ornaments, weighing 2.5 tolas.
Similarly, unidentified burglars entered the house of Hassan Ali, son of Muhammad Nazir in Madina Colony Hafizabad when the family members were away from the residence and made off cash amounting to Rs1.2 million and other household articles.
The police have registered cases but failed to trace any of the accused.
PKB for action against fertilisers’ dealers
Central Vice Chairman Pakistan Kissan Board (PKB) Amanullah Chattha has called upon the government to take stern action against the dealers who are not providing subsidy on the sale of phosphorous and potassium fertilisers, as announced by the government.
Addressing press conference, he said that government has announced subsidy of Rs300 to 800 per bag on the sale of phosphorous and potassium fertilisers but the concerned dealers were depriving of the subsidy and thus tarnishing the image of the government.
He said that the growers particularly paddy growers have already been hard hit by the sky-rocketing prices of fertilisers and pesticides and non-provision of fertilisers at subsidised rates would create multiple problems to them and the paddy production would also be badly affected. He demanded immediate action against the dealers who were refusing to sell fertilisers at subsidised rates.