DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The district administration and the food department during a crackdown launched on hoarders and profiteers seized 2,190 bags of sugar, an official said here on Saturday.

He said a team led by assistant commissioner, Paroa tehsil, Karamatullah raided a market in Daraban Khurd area and seized 2,190 bags of sugar weighing 50-kilogramme each from different shops. He also sealed the market. Mr Karamatullah said the entry and exit points of the district were being closely monitored to prevent the illegal movement of sugar.

Meanwhile, the Dera region police seized 272,179 sacks of fertiliser, 524,176 sacks of wheat, 670,146 sacks of flour, 700 sacks of sugar and vehicles worth Rs540.3 million during a crackdown launched on smugglers of illegal goods since the start of 2023, a police spokesman said here on Saturday.

He said the crackdown was launched on the directives of IGP Akhtar Hayat Khan.

TORCHED: Unknown miscreants set on fire the heavy machinery being used for repair of the flood-hit Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC) near the Khiyarey Wali Bridge in Prova tehsil here the other night, the police said.

Separately, Additional District and Sessions Judge, Dera, Mian Mahmood dismissed the bail application of the two accused arrested in the case of torturing a nine-year-old boy in Islamia Colony.

The cantonment police had arrested Mohammad Saleem and Mohsin Siyal on August 8 for torturing the boy after tying him up with a cot. The accused had moved court for release on bail.

Meanwhile, the police foiled a bid to smuggle 180,000 litres of Iranian diesel worth Rs50 million the other day.

An official said Mughal Kot police stopped three bowser trucks for checking, and recovered 60,000 liters of Iranian diesel from each of them.

Also, a teenager was shot dead by his friend in a shop in Wandha Muddat area, police said.

An official said Sikandar of Wandha Khani area shot dead Aliyan, 17, with a pistol after an altercation.

COMMAND CENTRE: IGP Akhtar Hayat Khan inaugurated a command and control centre established in Dera the other day.

The centre equipped with 300 CCTV cameras would keep a watch over sensitive places of Dera city, government offices, central jail, police lines, four main bazaars, markets and entry and exit points of the district round-the-clock.

The centre’s modern monitoring system would help easily trace the movement and activities of criminal elements and terrorists, besides tracing people involved in thefts and robberies in the city.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2023