GUJRANWALA: Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) Chief Executive Zahoor Ahmad Chohan claimed on Monday the company reduced 27pc line losses and recovered 99.8pc of outstanding dues.

He also said the company has initiated mobile meter reading in 14 subdivisions, while it is detecting electricity theft of about 15,000 to 20,000 units daily.

He said he had constituted three teams for checking and raiding and he himself was monitoring them.

Speaking at a briefing, Chohan elaborated that transformers had been installed in Sialkot, Pasrur and Gujranwala to provide smooth supply of electricity to consumers.

He said more than 14,327 new domestic and commercial connections had been given last month while a head draftsman suspended from service for giving a connectionto a flour mill despite an overloaded transformer. The superintending engineer concerned was being interrogated.

He said efforts were being made to repair defective or burnt transformers and meters in Sialkot and Gujrat.

CHEQUES: The family of two minor boys who died after falling into a well dug for drainage work in Ghakkhar Town a few days ago were given compensation cheques worth Rs500,000 each by Wazirabad Assistant Commissioner Rao Sohail Akhtar on Monday.

He also dismissed disposal work operator Qaisar Masih from service and transferred Town Municipality Chief Officer Chaudhry Habib Ahmad from Gakkhar to Gujranwala over negligence as no boundary wall had been constructed around the well for several years.

CELEBRATIONS: The Pakistan Day was celebrated with zeal and fervour by activists of various politicoreligious parties, police and jail authorities amid tight security onMonday.

Divisional Commissioner Shamail Ahmad Khwaja hoisted the national flag at the commissioner office and paid tribute to sacrifices of leaders and people of Pakistan. Senior officers of the administration attended the event.

Police observed martyrs day at the police line where Regional Police Officer Syed Dilawar Abbas, City Police Officer Waqas Nazir and other senior officers paid homage to police officials who sacrificed their lives while protecting the nation and people and pledged that they would foil all sabotage and terrorism attempts in the country.

Activists of politico-religious parties took out a motorcycle procession on GT Road and shouted slogans in support of the army and Pakistan. Jail authorities also arranged an event in the premises where Jail Superintendent Kamran Anjum and Gujrat Jail Superintendent Imtiaz Ahmad Bhalli and other senior officers distributed sweets among prisoners.