TOBA TEK SINGH: The University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) and Xinjiang Agriculture University, China (XJAUC), have agreed to strengthen academic and research ties to address shared challenges.

The decision was made during the lith board of directors meeting of the Chinese Confucius Institute (CI), co-chaired online by UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Zulfiqar Ali and XJAUC President Prof Dr Jiang Ping`an.

Prof Jiang invited UAF experts to visit XJAUC to enhance cooperation. He said that since the agreement to establish the Confucius Institute at UAF was signed 11 years ago, the institute has made contributions in language teaching, cultural exchange, and academic cooperation.

Dr Zulfiqar said that the CI has played a key role in strengthening Pakistan-China relations beyond academia. He said that in the past decade, 22,000 students have completed Chinese language courses at the institute and currently 600 are studying in Chinese universities under scholarship programmes.

CI Dean Dr Zahir Ahmad Zahir said that in 2024, the institute conducted 11 Chinese languageexams with 1,882 candidates. It also recommended 104 students for international Chinese language scholarships and plans to establish sub-centres at the University of Faisalabad, Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (Bahawalpur), and Ghazi University (Dera Ghazi Khan).

UAF Registrar Umar Saeed Qadri, ORIC Director Dr Imran Arshad, Planning and Development Director Irfan Abbas and Deputy Treasurer Faisal Shahzad attended from UAF while International Exchange Director of XJAU Yang Zhijiang, Chinese Dean Prof Zhou Changming and International Education Dean Prof Chen Yingjie attended online from XJAU.

THREE KILLED: Three passengers were killed and as many others injured when a Multan-toFaisalabad van overturned after hitting a road divider on Motorway M-4 near the Gojra interchange on Tuesday.

According to Rescue 1122, the accident occurred due to a tyre burst.

Driver Gulsher (35) and passenger Zaibunisa Bibi died on the spot.

AnotherpassengerMuhammad Rahman (28), army soldier from Faisalabad`s Chak 80-JB, Khushiabad, succumbed to his injuries at Allied Hospital.Injured Zulfiqar Ali (64) of Faisalabad, Samar Abbas (21) of Chak 337 JB and Muhammad Shoaib (27) of Narwala, Faisalabad, were shifted to Gojra THQ Hospital for treatment.

SENTENCED: A Faisalabad FIA court has sentenced a man to 11 years in prison and imposed a Rs1 million fine under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) for harassing a woman on social media.

Convict Abdul Rahman was found guilty of blackmailing a woman by posting her objectionable photos online.

The court also ordered him to pay Rs500,000 as compensation to the victim.

GANG-RAPED: A woman was allegedly gang-raped in Faisalabad outskirts near motorway (M-4) bridge located on Jhang Road on Tuesday night.

The FIR registered by the Sandalbar police on the complaint woman`s husband on Wednesday said the couple was on way to village 62-JB (Chanakay).

When they were 11 km away from Faisalabad, two motorcyclists stopped them on gunpoint.

They snatched his mobile phone and cash and tied him with his clothes. They took the woman to nearby sugarcane field where they called their third accomplice andthethreerapedher.

KIDNAP: Six people kidnapped a youth over an oldenmity in Mian Channu, Khanewal, and tortured him at an outhouse in Chak 131/15-L.

They recorded a video of the torture and shared it on social media.

Police registered a case and arrested Muhammad Shahzad and Ali Malik, while raids are ongoing to arrest their accomplices.

The arrested people have prior criminal records involving robbery and rape.

SHOT DEAD: A man was shot dead by robbers near Basti Mari Sahu Khoh in Kabirwala tehsil of Khanewal district on Wednesday.

Qaswar Hussain Hattar was riding his motorcycle when two gunmen intercepted him.

When he resisted, the robbers opened fire, critically wounding him. He died on the spot.

Police said one of the suspects has been arrested, and further investigations are underway.

MURDER CASE: The police have arrested two proclaimed offenders involved in a triple murder case from 2023.

According to a press release, arrested suspects Anwarul Haq Peeny and Shahid Hussain Tippu had killed Muhammad Ahsan, Imran Ashig and Karam Rasool over an old enmity.

Their groups have a history of violent clashes, and several murders have been reported over the years.