GUJRANWALA, June 23: The main accused of the Sialkot jail tragedy, former inspector Zulfikar Virk, escaped from police custody here on Thursday. Virk was reportedly being driven back to the Central Jail after his production before a local anti-terrorism court when he “dodged six policemen escorting him and escaped.”

The policemen led by Sialkot Civil Lines SHO were suspended and raids for their arrest were on, Gujranwala DPO confirmed. Escorting the jail case accused to the ATC from the local jail is the responsibility of the Sialkot police.

Known for encounter killings, Virk, it is said, was the official whose firing had claimed the lives of four judges held hostage by five outlaws some two years ago.

He was specially called from Narowal when the criminals had held hostage nearly a dozen judges and judicial officers who were on a routine inspection on July 24, 2003. He had brought with him some women relatives of criminals to make them surrender.

After the incident, he went into hiding. However, the Faisalabad police caught him, but soon he managed his escape. He was re-arrested some months ago.

REJECTED: A local anti-corruption court rejected the bail of suspended Kharian tehsil nazim Nadeem Asghar Kaira here on Thursday.

The police sent him to jail after the rejection of his bail.

The suspended nazim was arrested by police some two days ago from district courts when he came there to pursue cases.

The anti-corruption establishment had registered a corruption case against the suspended nazim a few months back.

RECOVERED: The body of a youth was fished out by professional divers after 24 hours from the Upper Chenab Canal on Thursday.

Reports said Zohaib Butt went to canal to take bath along with his friends, but he did not return home. The divers recovered the body from the canal and handed it over to his heirs.

Opinion

Editorial

PTI in disarray
Updated 30 Nov, 2024

PTI in disarray

PTI’s protest plans came abruptly undone because key decisions were swayed by personal ambitions rather than political wisdom and restraint.
Tired tactics
30 Nov, 2024

Tired tactics

Matiullah's arrest appears to be a case of the state’s overzealous and misplaced application of the law.
Smog struggle
30 Nov, 2024

Smog struggle

AS smog continues to shroud parts of Pakistan, an Ipsos survey highlights the scope of this environmental hazard....
Solidarity with Palestine
Updated 29 Nov, 2024

Solidarity with Palestine

The wretched of the earth see in the Palestinian struggle against Israel a mirror of themselves.
Little relief for public
29 Nov, 2024

Little relief for public

INFLATION, the rate of increase in the prices of goods and services over a given period of time, has receded...
Right to education
29 Nov, 2024

Right to education

IT is troubling to learn that over 16,500 students of the University of Karachi (KU) have defaulted on fee payments...