Briefs...

Constitutional amendment need of hour
to eliminate terrorism: Fehmida Mirza
ISLAMABAD: Former speaker of the National Assembly Fehmida Mirza said on Sunday the 21st Constitutional Amendment, unanimously passed by the Parliament to ensure speedy trial of terrorism suspects, was the need of the hour to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country. Talking to PTV, she said there should be no room in society for terrorists. “It (legislation) should have been made earlier.”Although, she said, some members of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had reservations on certain clauses of the amendment, yet the PPP supported the government in the larger national interest.She highlighted the importance of national unity among political parties and institutions to tackle the challenge of terrorism in the most effective manner.

Two businessmen kidnapped in Chaman
CHAMAN: Unknown armed men abducted two brothers in Guldar Baghicha near Chaman area of Killa Saifullah district on Sunday. According to Levies Force, the victims were on way to their shop in a vehicle when some armed men intercepted them. They took them away along with their vehicle to an unidentified destination on gunpoint. The victims were reported to be traders in the town. Levies Force registered a case and started efforts for their recovery. —APP

LEAs detain three suspects in Quetta
QUETTA: Law enforcement agencies (LEAs) arrested a group of three suspected militants and recovered a cache of arms from them during a raid on their hideout in Hazar Ganji area, in the outskirts of the provincial capital on Sunday.Sources in LEAs said they raided a house in the area from where they took three suspects into custody. The LEAs’ officials also recovered weapons from the detainees.

Nine Afghan nationals held
CHAMAN: Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested nine Afghan nationals under Foreign Act near Pak-Afghan border in Chaman area of Balochistan on Sunday. FIA Inspector Arif Baloch said these Afghan nationals were apprehended because they were travelling without valid documents.

MPs to be issued computerised medical cards
By Noor Aftab
ISLAMABAD: Given the recent disclosure of mismanagement in issuance of medicines to the parliamentarians, the government is now likely to introduce computerised medical identity cards to all of them that can greatly help ensure transparency in the process, sources told The News here on Sunday. A 5-member special committee reconstituted by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on December 8, 2014, through a circular No F1(14)/2014-Ser in its recommendations stated that the computerised medical identity cards should be issued to all members of Parliament to stop verbal or manual issuance of medicines to them by the medical officials working in the Parliament Lodges dispensary.

Shields awarded to Sudanese graduates
By our correspondent
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Gomal University Vice-Chancellor Maj Gen (r) Hamid Shafiq distributed shields among the graduates from Sudan at the Department of Pharmacy. The vice-chancellor distributed shields among 10 graduates at a function held here. Speaking on the occasion, he said that Muslims world was at the crossroads and the youth had to take more responsibility to face these challenges. He said knowledge was the means of survival as the Islamic world was faced with an uncertain and challenging situation.

Village defence committee member killed in Swat
By our correspondent
MINGORA: Unidentified persons shot dead a member of the former village defence committee here on Sunday, official sources said. The sources said that Fazal Karim was sitting inside a shop in Malukabad area when gunmen opened fire and killed him on the spot. He was stated to be a member of the former village defence committee, which is normally a pro-government and anti-militants body active in Swat. The security forces cordoned off the area and arrested 20 suspects in the door-to-door search operation after the incident.

Religious leaders warned in Bhakkar
By our correspondent
BHAKKAR: DCO Agha Muhammad Yousaf has directed the police officers to take strict action against those persons, including religious leaders, who are involved in spreading hate material and delivering objectionable speeches.Speaking here on Sunday, the DCO said that no religious group would be allowed to bring out processions, rallies and misuse of loud speaker. He ordered strict action against those who would be involved in such practices. He said that displaying of sectarian or ethnic flags, hoardings and exhibition of arms would be strictly banned in the district.

Bomb defused in Bajaur
By our correspondent
KHAR: The Levies Force personnel defused a bomb in Salarzai tehsil in Bajaur Agency, official sources said on Sunday. The sources said militants had planted a remote-controlled explosive device at the roadside in Chargo area in Salarzai tehsil. The Levies personnel spotted and defused the device.

Eight religious leaders booked
By our correspondent
PAKPATTAN: Police on Sunday booked eight religious leaders under the Amplifier Act in separate incidents here.They include Maulvi Muhammad Akhtar of Chak 13-SP, Qari Muhammad Iqbal of Chak 1-KB, Sadaqat Ali of Chak Bedi, Qurban Ali of Chak Rakh Malka Hans, Farooq of Chak 95-D and Maulvi Saeed Ahmad of Chak 6-KB.

Man dies in train-hit
QUETTA: A man died when a train hit him near Moosa Colony area of the provincial capital on Sunday. According to police, the victim, identified as Hidayatullah, was crossing the Railways track when a train hit him, killing him on the spot. The body of the deceased was handed over to the heirs after legal formalities.Police have registered a case.

Khalid elected Multan DBA president
By our correspondent
MULTAN: Khalid Ashraf Khan, backed by the lawyers of the PML-N, PTI and Professional Lawyers Group, has been elected as the president of the DBA here. Khalid bagged 825 votes for the president office to defeat PPP-backed candidate Wasim Mumtaz who secured 518 votes.
Murderer killed in encounter
By our correspondent
GUJRANWALA: An alleged murderer was killed during an encounter with the Jinnah Road police near Ratta Jhal on Sunday.The Jinnah Road police setup a picket on a road to check suspected persons. In the meantime, the police signalled a bike to stop but the bikers opened fire at the police. In retaliation, a biker was killed on the spot while his accomplice managed to flee. The police claimed that the deceased was later identified as Amir of Khizer Chak who was allegedly involved in the abduction and murder of a minor girl Zainab. The police said that Amir had killed Zainab even after receiving Rs 300,000 ransom from her family. The police have shifted the body to a hospital.

KP cops posted at troubled stations being replaced
By our correspondent
PESHAWAR: A senior cop has said those posted at the troubled police stations for long will be transferred to better places.Talking to newsmen, SSP Operations Mian Mohammad Saeed said there were a number of cops who have been performing duty in Matani and Badaber for long time only because they did not have connections. He said such police officials would be given relief. Those serving at better and comfortable environment will replace them, he added.

KP CM suspends chief engineer Irrigation
By Mushtaq Paracha
NOWSHERA: Chief Engineer Kamal Jehangir of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Irrigation department has been suspended on disciplinary grounds, it was learnt on Sunday.Sources said Chief Minister Pervez Khattak ordered his suspension and directed that an inquiry be conducted against him. In case he is guilty, his case would be forwarded to the newly established Ehtesab Commission set up by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led coalition government in the province to go after the corrupt elements. According to the sources, Chief Engineer Kamal Jehangir provided wrong information in a recent meeting being chaired by the chief minister when he said two tenders for irrigation projects had been floated through the total was 13.

Another victim of Rawalpindi Imambargah blast dies
By our correspondent
RAWALPINDI: Noman Siddiq, son of Muhammad Anwar, who was critically injured in the blast outside Imambargah Abu Muhammad Rizvi in Chittian Hattian on Friday and was under treatment at DHQ Hospital, died here on Sunday. The allied hospitals on Friday received, apart from five dead bodies, 19 injured from the scene of the blast till Saturday morning.

One killed, four injured in Shangla road accident
By our correspondent
BISHAM: A man was killed and four others sustained injuries in a road accident on Karakoram Highway (KKH) on Sunday, official sources said. The sources said that one Karim Hussain Shah was killed while four other persons sustained injuries when a pickup-truck (AGB-6396) plunged into a ravine near Lahore nullah. The injured including Rustam Khan, Sher Afzal, and Amir Zada were rushed to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Bisham where their condition was stated to be stable.

Bacha Khan varsity to remain closed
By our correspondent
PESHAWAR: The management of Bacha Khan University Charsadda has announced that the university would remain closed till further orders. All other educational institutions in the province are reopening today. The meeting of the heads of the teaching and administrative departments extended the winter recess till further orders. The offices will however remain open and that the teaching and administrative staff including the heads of the teaching departments will remain present in the university.

Maid burnt alive in Bahawalpur
By our correspondent
BAHAWALPUR: A 13-year-old girl died while two others sustained burns when a fire broke out in a house at Sabzazar Colony near One Unit Chowk on Sunday. Faiza, a maid servant and a resident of Khanqah Sharif, lit a match stick but a fire broke out due to leakage of gas in the kitchen. As a result, a huge blast occurred and the house caught fire. Faiza was burnt alive while two others including a minor child received severe burns and shifted to the BVH emergency. Fire fighters were trying to extinguish the fire.

Rangers arrest Indian smuggler
By our correspondent
SIALKOT: Chenab Rangers arrested an Indian smuggler, who was injured in an exchange of firing near New Padana Post on Sunday. According to Rangers sources, Rangers intercepted three Indian smugglers near new Padana Post when they entered the Pakistani territory. The smugglers opened fire at the Rangers. When the Rangers retaliated the firing, one of them got injured and the others managed to escape. Rangers recovered 24 bottles of Indian liquor and a motorbike from the spot.

Two kids burnt alive in Gujranwala inferno
By our correspondent
GUJRANWALA: Two children died while their mother sustained injuries when a fire broke out in a house at Kanewala on Sunday. Sehr Bibi, wife of Tahir, lit a match stick for cooking and threw it near a bottle of petrol which was placed near the stove. As a result, fire broke out in the room, caused instant death of Gohar (3) and six-month-old Abdul Hanan while their mother Sehr Bibi received severe burns. She was shifted to the DHQ Hospital. Later, Tahir was also shifted to the hospital as he fell unconscious after the incident.