ATC seeks reply in cop murder case

An anti-terrorism court on Friday directed the prosecution to submit reply to a petition questioning addition of terrorism sections to an FIR lodged against the men involved in the killing of a police constable.  Police constable Hussain lost his life when a car hit him and his colleague Qasim at a picket near Cavalry Ground in the Defence area on New Year night.  The police booked eight suspects in connection with the incident, including Mohammad Saeed and Mustafa Ahmad, and produced them in an anti-terrorism court, seeking their physical remand for investigation. The court accepted the plea and awarded seven-day physical remand of the suspects. The judge directed the police to produce the suspects again in the court along with the investigation report on Jan 10. –Staff Reporter

Mental hospital fire victim dies

A mental hospital fire victim succumbed to burns at a hospital after battling for life for more than three days, rescue workers said on Friday.  The deceased identified as Arshad was admitted to the Jinnah Hospital with multiple burns the other day. The police handed over the body to the family after fulfilling legal formalities.  At least five people were wounded, two of them critically, when fire erupted in the new building of the Punjab Institute of Mental Health. Rescue workers said the blaze broke out as the cylinder exploded due to gas leakage in the new building. Further investigation was underway. –Staff Reporter

 Peddler arrested, drugs seized

The Anti-Narcotics Force on Friday arrested a notorious drug dealer and seized huge quantity of narcotics from his car during a successful raid on the outskirts of Lahore. An official said the early morning raid was conducted near Kot Abdul Malik interchange on a tip off. The arrested suspect was identified as Saeed Iqbal Khan, a resident of Peshawar. The accused riding in a car was traveling to Lahore to smuggle narcotics when he was intercepted by the ANF personnel on the motorways. According to the ANF officials, they seized 16-kg charas and 8-kg opium from the car. The drugs were stashed inside the gas cylinder installed in the car, the officials said. The drug smuggler was sent to an unknown facility for further investigations. –Staff Reporter