KHAIRPUR: Sukkur Electric Power Company (SEPCO) on Saturday suspended power supply to nearly 50 houses of Khairpur after they refused to pay electricity bills. Reportedly, residents of Khairpur have been undergoing immense hardship due to prolonged power outages. The residents accused the SEPCO staff of shirking duty, particularly meter reader Ghulam Hyder Soomro, who has been threatening to issue electricity deduction bills after the residents have refused to pay him ‘bribe’ for a direct supply. Meanwhile, the SEPCO staff suspended the power supply to areas including Mohalla Bachal Shah, Altaf colony and Mohalla Sirai Ghanwar Khan. Consequently, the residents lodged a strong protest against SEPCO staff while claiming that they had paid bills regularly. They demanded high authorities to investigate into the matter and restore the power supply immediately. Police officers bid farewell to outgoing DSP The Khairpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shabir Ahmed Sethar on Saturday organised a farewell party to honour the deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Malik Iqbal Hussain on his retirement. Reportedly, the SSP Sethar praised and adored DSP Hussain for accomplishing his duty with sincerity, effort and dignity. “Iqbal Hussain has been an active, alert and responsible police officer, who instantly responded to my directives for maintaining law and order in the district,” SSP remarked while adding that the department will forever remember his brave services. Guests gifted him Sindhi traditional Topi and Ajrak. The Khairpur city ASP Rai Mazhar Iqbal, Regional Training Centre (RTC) Principal Anwar Ali Bughtti, SP Abdul Aleem Abbassi, Sukkur Crime Branch SP Abdul Ghaffar Shaikh, Civil Hospital MS Dr Ahmed Hussain Abro, Art Council President Syed Akbar Shah and station house officers (SHOs) of all eight sub-districts participated in the farewell party. Man dies in vehicle crash near Halani A 38-year-old man died on Saturday after being crushed by a speedy vehicle near Halani, a sub-district of Khairpur. Reportedly, a motorist rammed into a man identified as Ashfaq Ahmed Jatt at Mehrabpur-Halani link road. Consequently, he was rushed to a Halani Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Meanwhile, an unidentified motorist managed to flee from the scene. The deceased’s body was handed over to his relatives after conducting autopsy. The Halani Police have lodged a case and started investigation into the matter. Published in Daily Times, June 10th 2018.