BAHAWALPUR: Lodhran Additional Session Judge (ASJ) Hafiz Abdul Hameed handed down a 25-year jail term to a drug trafficker, with Rs0.8 million fine on Friday.

According to the prosecution, Lodhran city police arrested the convict, Nadeem Qamar Rajput, belonging to Bahawalpur, on Sept 18, 2024, and recovered around 11 kilograms of charas from him. He was booked by the police and the case challan was submitted in the ASJ’s court.

In another case, Bahawalpur ASJ Babar Hussain handed down a nine-year sentence, along with Rs80,000 fine to a drug peddler Qamaruz Zaman, who was arrested by Abbasnagar police, recovering narcotics from his possession.

SEMINAR: Speakers at a seminar held at the Islamia University’s archaeology and heritage research centre on Friday stressed the need for the preservation of historical and cultural heritage on World Heritage Day.

The speakers, including HoD Dr Khalil Ahmed, said that students should also be provided opportunities for practical research–based learning.

Other speakers elaborated on the importance of heritage from an Islamic perspective, stating that Islamic heritage was not merely a relic of the past but a continuum of our spiritual and intellectual identity.

They said the protection of heritage aligned with the moral teachings of Islam and that silence over its destruction was equivalent to moral negligence.

They said the protection of heritage was not the responsibility of experts only, but also of every individual. They said cultural heritage helped new generations to connect with their roots.

The HoD announced that the department would continue to play a pivotal role in safeguarding the national heritage through sustained efforts and dedication.

He added that heritage day served as a powerful reminder that our cultural legacy was not just a reflection of the past but a living tradition, a source of identity and a guide for the future.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2025