BAHAWALPUR: The Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally will be now held from Feb 11 to 16.

This was told at a review meeting held under the chairmanship of Bahawalpur Deputy Commissioner Dr Farhan Farooque here on Thursday.

According to the DC, the inaugural ceremony of the rally will be held on Feb 11 while registration and technical inspection of the participating vehicles will be carried out at TDCP resort in Cholistan desert on Feb12 followed by the qualifying round at Dilwash Stadium near Derawar Fort on Feb13.

The rally will be flagged off on Feb 14 with pre-paired category race of men and women drivers separately. On Feb 15, there will be separate rallies of the stock category’s male and female participants followed by a cultural programme and fireworks display at night.

On the concluding day on Feb 16, the second and final round of the pre-paired category would be held with separate truck and dirt bike races at Dilwash Stadium culminating the rally festivities with a prize-distribution ceremony the same night.

The DC directed the officials and the departments concerned to complete all arrangements well before time and ensure maximum facilities to the visitors, drivers and spectators expected from across the country.

He also stressed the need for strict security measures by police and all law-enforcement agencies during rally days.

THREE HELD: Mitroo police in Vehari district claim to have arrested three persons on the charge of gang-rape of a 13-year-old boy at village 107/WB in the suburbs of Dokota.

According to police, a man complained that his son went to purchase essentials from the shop of the suspect a few days ago when he along with his accomplices allegedly gang-raped him at gunpoint.

They also shot his video and threatened him with dire consequences saying they would make his video viral on social media if he disclosed it to anybody.

Police registered an FIR against the accused and claimed to have arrested all of them.

VERIFICATION: The Punjab Health Department has started verification of the resignations of faculty members of the Nishtar Medical University, Multan.

Thirty-one faculty members had sent their resignations in support of VC Prof Dr Mehnaz Khakwani whose removal in the dialysis case by the chief minister was also under process.

In this connection, it is learnt that the Punjab health secretary will send letters to the faculty members to ascertain that they themselves had written the resignations or not.

If faculty members do not reply, the resignations may be considered to be accepted. But if it is proved that the resignations were forcibly collected or were fake, an action would be taken against those responsible for it.

DPO: Bahawalpur District Police Officer Asad Sarfraz Khan, in his annual police performance report, claims that during the year 2024 , as many as 24,056 cases were registered out of which 17,242 were challaned and stolen/snatched valuables worth Rs250 million were recovered from the arrested members of the 23 gangs smashed in the district.

He said 1,690 cases were registered against drug traffickers from whose possession over 11.05 kilo heroin besides other narcotics was recovered.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2025