GUJAR KHAN: Three children drowned while swimming in a river on Saturday afternoon.

Taking notice of the incident, the Punjab government imposed Section 144 and banned swimming and bathing in the river and dams in the jurisdiction of the Jhelum district for 30 days.

According to District Emergency Officer Rana Saeed Ahmed, Rescue 1122 received information about the drowning of two minor girls and a boy and sent divers to the spot.

He said gypsy families belonging to Muzafargarh had camped along River Jhelum a few days ago and their children were bathing in the river when the incident occurred.

He said the body of Rizwana, 10, was already recovered by the local people before the rescue teams reached the spot while rescue officials launched an operation for the bodies of Natasha, 8, and Usman, 10.

However, the bodies of the two children could not be recovered till the evening and the operation was suspended till Sunday morning, Mr Ahmed said.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2022