GUJRANWALA, July 9: The local chamber of commerce and industry opposed the division of Gujranwala into four towns and termed the decision unjustified. These views were expressed by participants of a meeting with chamber president Asad Elahi in the chair here on Saturday. Group chairman Haji Murad, senior vice-president Sheikh Muhammad Ali and vice-president Asim Bajwa were among the participants.

They said that Gujranwala would lose its identity as city owing to its division into four towns and assigning their village like names. The people of other cities were not acquainted with these names.

They suggested that these towns should be given names identical to towns of Karachi while their offices should preferably be located in the city.

RELEASED: The first year student of the Government College, Rawalpindi, who had been kidnapped from Gujranwala some two days ago, was released by abductors after receiving the ransom here on Saturday.

Zain had been kidnapped from Jinnah Road, outside the house of his uncle Zulqarnain advocate. The abductors had demanded Rs2.5 million for his release. On Saturday, the parents paid the ransom amount to abductors after which Zain was found on the railway track, Wazirabad.

Baghbanpura police confirmed the release of the student.

CASH GIVEN: Gepco chief executive Brig Saifullah Khalid on Saturday visited the Wapda hospital in Lahore and gave Rs20,000 for the treatment of Shakargarh sub-division lineman Rana Muhammad Khalid.