BAHAWALPUR: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has extended the tenure of the five election tribunals in Punjab for another two months to complete the disposal of the pending petitions.

The tenure of the tribunals at Bahawalpur, Multan, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad had expired on Dec 31, 2014. The election tribunals formed after the 2013 elections were set up initially for a period of one year but the ECP extended the period till Dec 31, 2014. Now, the ECP has extended their tenure for two months to enable them to complete their task of hearing the election petitions.

In the Bahawalpur election tribunal headed by retired district and sessions judge Chaudhry Abdul Hafiz, thirty-eight petitions were filed in 2013 by the defeated candidates of Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, R ahim Yar Khan, D.G.Khan, Layyah and Muzaffargarh. There are seven petitions left tobe decided during the next two months.

The noted petitioners whose pleas were dismissed against their respondents by the tribunal included former ministers Makhdoom Ahmad Alam Anwar, Farooq Azam Malik and former MNA Saood Majid Chaudhry.

FARES: Transport operators have been directed to reduce the fares by eight per cent.

The directive was given by Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Bahawalpur Secretary Tanveer Jhandhir during a meeting here on Friday.

According to the RTA secretary, the Punjab Transport Department has issued a notification orderingcutintransportfares.

RESCUE 1122: The Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) local chapter provided services to affected persons of 5,974 road accidents and 258 Breincidentsin2014.

District Emergency Officer Asif Rahim Channar said on Saturday 32 drowned persons also were rescued by his staff members during the past year.