BAHAWALPUR, June 15: The Food Department is reportedly experiencing a shortfall of about 8,000 metric tons of wheat in Bahawalpur district as against the fixed target of 190,000 metric ton. However, DFC Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor claimed on Wednesday that about 96 per cent of the wheat procurement target had been achieved. He further claimed that the Bahawalpur district was leading in the province in respect of its wheat procurement drive.

It is learnt that the private sector (mainly the flour millers) has also purchased around 153,000 metric tons of wheat from the open market. The government has allowed the millers to make wheat purchases for their mills.

Dawn learnt that prices in the open market had increased and the wheat was now available at Rs430 per maund in the local grain market. The wheat price is likely to go up further in the next week.

TWO KILLED: Two people were killed and another was injured when two rival groups traded fire near Hasilpur on Tuesday night.

There was a dispute over the payment of a motorcycle rent between owner Muhammad Javed Joya and Abdul Ghaffar. On Tuesday night, Ghaffar, his brother-in-law Manzoor, Ilyas, Aslam and others allegedly opened fire on their rivals. They also returned the fire as a result of which Manzoor and Ilyas died instantly while Aslam received serious injuries. He was admitted to the Hasilpur THQ Hospital.

On receiving information, Hasilpur police rushed to the spot and arrested a number of people belonging to the Javed group.