Countermeasures: Section 144 imposed over ice smuggling

The ban came after people complained of a shortage of ice.

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Deputy Commissioner Engineer Muhammad Amir Khattak has imposed Section 144 to ban smuggling of ice from DI Khan to adjacent districts including Lakki Marwat and Tank amid a shortage of the commodity.

The ban came after many complained of standing in long queues to purchase ice. People claimed ice was being smuggled out of the city at night. Consequently, ice factory owners were instructed to abide by the restrictions or face strict action.

The demand for ice has substantially increased as the blazing summer heat sets in. “I came to purchase Rs50 worth of ice to take home, but for the last hour, I have been unable to purchase it. It’s too hot to drink warm water,” said Saifullah, a rickshaw driver.

Electricity goes every hour in DI Khan while the surrounding villages have been suffering from unscheduled load-shedding, he complained.



Temperatures have been averaging at 40 degrees centigrade. A man identified as Sarwar fell unconscious and died at the District Headquarters Hospital on Friday as a result of the scorching heat.

In a similar incident, two Government Girls High School students passed out during school hours during a power outage. Attendance in schools and government offices has also been low due to long hours of load-shedding.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2013