TOBA TEK SINGH: About 30 cylinders of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) exploded at a decanting shop in Faisalabad on Monday, burning four shops, eight motorcycles and a pick-up van parked nearby. The incident was caused by gas leakage.

Rescue 1122 reported that the incident took place at an LPG decanting shop at Mithai Wala Chowk on the Hilal Road in the Warispura locality.

The repeated blasts of a large number of gas cylinders were so loud that panic spread in the area and the people came out their houses. No casualty was reported in the incident. Rescue teams controlled the fire and removed the remaining unexploded cylinders from the shop. Police have arrested the LPG vendor who could not be identified.

SHOT DEAD: Robbers shot dead a 16-year-old boy in indiscriminate firing while fleeing after snatching a motorcycle at Jewan Chowk of Shorkot.

Police said the suspects managed to escape while the boy, identified as Umer Farooq, died instantly.

In a separate incident, an encounter occurred between robbers and the Punjab Highway Patrol on Khushal Bypass in Jhang’s Satellite Town police area. As a result, a suspect was injured critically. He was rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital.

Police said three robbers robbed a family travelling by a car. Later, they encountered police and opened fire on the policemen. In an exchange of fire, one robber, identified as Ali Husnain (22), a resident of Chak 266-JB, was wounded.

TALENT HUNT: The third phase of Chief Minister Talent Hunt Programme will start on Jan 29 and people from 15 to 40 years of age are eligible to apply for it until Jan 10.

This was told here in a meeting at DC Office held under the chairmanship of ADCR Muhammad Nabeel Riaz Sindhu.

Faisalabad Arts Council Director Zahid Iqbal, Assistant Commissioner HRM Marhaba Nemat, officers from colleges, social welfare, education, information and other departments were present.

Mr Iqbal informed the meeting that singing, painting, musical, theatre, handicrafts, folk dance and literary events would be held in the programme.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2022