Faisalabad reports four more deaths, 107 new cases

FAISALABAD: Four more COVID-19 patients died in Faisalabad on Thursday.

According to a spokesperson for the health department, the COVID-19 death toll rose to 589 in the district and 107 people tested positive for coronavirus during the last 24 hours.

He said 1,065 tests for coronavirus were conducted in public and private sectors during the same period.

He said so far 9,224 patients had recovered from the disease while total active cases in Faisalabad reached 2,197.

He said 550 beds were allocated at the Allied Hospital and 85 at the DHQ Hospital for COVID-19 patients.

At present, 131 patients, including 53 confirmed ones, were under treatment at the Allied Hospital while 37, including 14 confirmed, were admitted to DHQ Hospital.

12,288 acre land retrieved: Commissioner Saqib Manan Thursday said the authorities had retrieved 12,288 acre agricultural, commercial and industrial land worth Rs 62.47 billion from squatters since January this year.

Addressing a press conference, the commissioner said the authorities also got retrieved 39 acre land worth Rs 550 million owned by overseas Pakistanis.

The commissioner said the authorities retrieved 5,720 acres of land worth Rs 15 billion in district Faisalabad, 4,491 acres in district Jhang, 997 acres in Toba Tek Singh district and 1,079 acres in district Chiniot from squatters.

He said 49 complaints were received from overseas Pakistanis. He said out of more than 211 acres land of overseas Pakistanis some 39 acres had been retrieved from squatters and handed over to actual owners.

He said some 100 kanal land in district Toba Tek Singh was retrieved from illegal occupation of parliamentarians.

Faisalabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Ali said 2,600 acre land in tehsil Jaranwala was under illegal occupation of a family for the last 35 years and the land was retrieved from the family.

He said 400 acre industrial land worth Rs 4 billion was also retrieved in Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development Management Company and its control was given to FIEDMC.

21,400 bags of essential items recovered from godowns: The district administration Thursday seized 21,400 bags of pulses, red chillies and black gram stored illegally in godowns.

A spokesman for the district administration said Sadr Assistant Commissioner (AC) Umar Maqbool conducted raids at Daal Factory, Daniel Daal Factory, Talat Usman Factory, National Daal Factory and various other godowns and seized the essential items stored there illegally.

The AC also sealed the godowns on charge of illegal hoarding of daily-use commodities.