GUJRANWALA: The district administration on Wednesday extended the detention period of some 300 activists of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) for another 15 days under section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

These activists had been arrested during a crackdown from various places in the district, including GT Road and their houses.

They were detained in the Central Jail for 15 days under 3-MPO on the order of District Coordination Officer Azmat Mehmood.

On Wednesday, the DCO extended their detention for 15 days.

Meanwhile, a woman, Shehnaz, of Dhulley Arsal Colony, claimed that her husband Rahmatullah had been missing ever since the crackdown was launched. She said police also arrested her son, Azmatullah. Similarly, Gulab Din of Kamoki alleged that his son Nasir was unlawfully arrested, while Shehzad lamented the arrest of his uncle Abdul Rashid.

Powerlooms industry workers protest

Shaneel powerlooms industry workers took out processions and staged a continuing sit-in at the local cloth market, seeking increase in their wages here on Wednesday.

The workers in separate processions taken out from Sheranwala Bagh gathered at cloth market in Rail Bazaar where they staged a sit-in and chanted slogans against the factory owners.

Addressing the sit-in, Powerlooms Workers Association President Muhammad Husain, secretary-general Bashir Husain Gujjar, Karamat Ali and Muhammad Shafiq said the factory owners had promised increase in their wages but failed to fulfill the commitment.

They said each worker was bearing a loss of Rs15,000 per month because their wages were not being increased in accordance with the government rules.

They deplored labour department officials silence on the issue.

They said they would not disperse till announcement of increase in their wages by factory owners.

Murder mystery resolved

Saddar division police claimed on Wednesday to have resolved two blind murder cases besides capturing 11 members of four gangs and recovered arms and looted goods from their possession.

City Police Officer Waqas Nazir told a press conference on Wednesday that animal trader Riasat of Chadiala Kalan was murdered by his partner Muhammad Idrees when they were going to cattle market for buying a buffalo by a motorcycle.

He said police took Idrees into custody who confessed to killing Riasat and usurping money.

The CPO said Wazirabad Saddar police found a clue to blind murder of Adnan Aslam of Bharoki Cheema and arrested suspect Adnan Rashid who confessed his crime.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2014