BAHAWALPUR: Two persons were killed in the related incidents of rain and windstorm which lashed 13 districts of south Punjab late on Thursday night followed by power disruption plunging many areas into darkness for hours.

Kashi Ram (12) was electrocuted at 5-Wali Islami Colony in Head Rajkan area of Yazman tehsil.

According to Rescue 1122, he was draining out water from his house with the help of a dewatering pump when he was electrocuted.

In another incident, Khalida Parveen (34) was killed and her husband Asjad (33) was injured seriously when their motorcycle was hit by a speeding car during rain near Adda Israniat, Khairpur Tamewali, about 45km from here .

The windstorm of high velocity followed by a widespread rain reportedly uprooted many trees and electric poles thus causing damage to the Mepco infrastructure.

The Mepco authorities said, in a press release, the electricity was disrupted after 140 feeders tripped in 13 districts and it was restored to 100 feeders on Friday.

Signboards and solar panels were also blown away during the windstorm at night.

According to a handout, Deputy Commissioner Abdul Rauf Mahar declared a high alert in Lodhran after heavy rains. The entire municipal committee staff rushed along with heavy machinery to low-lying areas and roads to clear them of the rainwater.

Cholistan Development Authority SDO Imtiaz Lashari told Dawn by cell phone that about 100km long strip from Bijnot (in Bahawalpur district) to Fort Abbas area (in Bahawalnagar district) received rain at night. As a result, about 30 dried-up tobas were filled with rainwater which will serve human population and their herds for some time in the hot days.

ARRESTED: Lodhran Saddar police claim to have arrested seven alleged killers of journalist Zafar Iqbal Joyia and ASI Jaffar Abbas for his alleged negligence.

The police spokesman told Dawn by phone that Zafar Iqbal Joyia had a land dispute with the accused. His murder was a sequel to the land dispute between Syed and Joyia biradaris.

He said ASI Jaffer Abbas had reached the scene but failed to take preventive and legal action against both the parties by which the murder could have been prevented.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2024