MULTAN City News

Sale of petrol, acid illegally

Crackdown on shopkeepers ordered in Multan

From Our Correspondent

MULTAN: The City District Government has ordered a crackdown on those shopkeepers who are selling petrol and acid illegally.

The authorities also ordered registration of cases against the violators besides seizing their properties to prevent illegal selling of hazardous items in the city. The CDG has appointed teams of 31 officials conferring them special magisterial powers for raiding at those places where petrol and acid are being sold illegally. The special teams are empowered seizing of properties of the violators on preparing and manufacturing acid and registration cases against them. The special teams would also check illegal decanting of gas cylinders in the city. The CDG has allotted police stations and specified their jurisdictions and areas to 31 officials appointed to launch a crackdown. The special teams are empowered issuance of non-bailable warrants and registration of cases under the Anti Terrorism Act. It is pertinent to mention here that 10 acid throwing incidents have been reported in the town during the last six months from January to June. Majority of violence occurred on matrimonial issues and refusing by girls on arranged marriages. The last case of violence has been reported in July last in which a woman received burns when acid was thrown on her in Basti Malook police precincts. Nusrat Bibi alias Sonia Bibi (20), wife of Ghulam Rasool, was sleeping in her house when acid was thrown at her. Her face and one arm were affected and she was shifted to Nishtar Hospital by Rescue 1122. Basti Malok police had registered a case and arrested Ghulam Rasool, husband of the victim, for investigation. Statistics show that as many as 80 per cent of the victims are women and almost 70 per cent are below 18. Such attacks are not aimed at killing the victim but to cause disfigurement and often cause blindness, hearing loss and physical and mental pain.