SARGODHA: Six police officials, including a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and Bhalwal City station house officer (SHO), were injured when a mob attacked them during a protest against a police raid on a suspected drug peddler’s house without a search warrant in Bhalwal on Friday.

The Muhafiz squad of Bhalwal city police raided the house of Shahid, suspected drug peddler. However, the raid was met with resistance from Shahid’s family members and the accused managed to flee.

Following the raid, Shahid’s family, along with residents of the neighbourhood, gathered at Parana Bhalwal Chowk to protest.

When the DSP and the SHO of Bhalwal city police arrived at the protest with a contingent of police, protesters pelted them with stones and used sticks, injuring the DSP, SHO and four constables. The injured officials were taken to the civil hospital.

District Police Officer Dr Asad Ijaz Malhi arrived at the scene and ordered the formation of special teams to arrest the culprits involved in the attack.

CRISIS: The Citrus Research Institute and the Fodder Research Institute are on the brink of collapse, with little to show for their years of operation, according to Chaudhry Shaukat Ali Chadhar, central president, and Syed Waqar Hussain Rizvi, central general secretary, of the Chamber of Food and Agriculture Pakistan.

They criticised the government for neglecting the agriculture sector, particularly the citrus industry, which is vital to Sargodha’s economy. They highlighted that funds amounting to Rs1.20 billion, originally allocated for Sargodha’s citrus development, have been transferred to another district with no connection to citrus cultivation.

The officials also condemned the government’s anti-farmer policies, pointing out the increasing electricity costs for agricultural tube wells, which have risen to between Rs70 and Rs200 per unit. The high cost of fertilisers, poor quality seeds provided by private companies and substandard pesticides have pushed farmers deeper into poverty.

They said the institute has failed to introduce any new citrus varieties and its nursery offers subpar plants, forcing farmers to buy saplings from private nurseries. They blamed institute’s leadership its incompetence, with calls for the immediate transfer of the deputy director and proper utilisation of funds for citrus research in Sargodha.

The Fodder Research Institute also came under fire for its inability to provide quality seeds, leading to a significant reduction in crop production.

The officials called for action against corrupt individuals who have failed to protect farmers’ interests.

Other Chamber officials, including Vice Chairman Punjab Chaudhry Sanaullah Kamboh, Divisional President Chaudhry Abid Mumtaz Waraich, Syed Amir Zameer and others, were present at the meeting where these issues were discussed.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2024