Man, two children drown in canal

A man, his daughter and son drowned in the fast-flowing waters of the Chashma Jhelum Link Canal on Tuesday in Piplan's suburban area of Harnoli.

As per initial reports, 42-year-old Muhammad Munawar, a resident of Harnoli, was collecting firewood along the canal with his 11-year-old daughter Shireen and 13-year-old son Anees.

Shireen accidentally slipped and fell into the canal. In a desperate attempt to save her, Anees and their father Munawar jumped in after her.

Due to the canal's powerful current and unfortified, muddy banks, all three were swept away.

Munawar's wife, who also jumped in, managed to survive.

Rescue 1122 officials reported that the flow of water in the canal at the time was approximately 7,000 cusecs, with a depth of 14 feet and a width of 320 feet, making escape or rescue near-impossible for those who fall in.

Rescue divers launched an emergency operation to recover the bodies, which was still ongoing at the time of filing this report.

The Chashma Jhelum Link Canal originates from the Chashma Barrage and plays a critical role in supplementing water flow into the River Jhelum.

However, authorities have long neglected to establish safety barriers or warning systems along the canal's hazardous stretches.