Briefs...

Labour colonies to be constructed in Punjab: minister
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Provincial Minister for Labour and Human Resource Raja Ashfaq Sarwar has said the Punjab Workers Welfare Board (PWWB) will construct labour colonies in the whole province comprising state-of-the-art facilities worth billions of rupees for the industrial workers. He stated this while presiding over a review meeting regarding various ongoing development projects of the PWWB on Wednesday. Secretary Labour Ishrat Ali, Secretary PWWB Muhammad Saleem Hussain, Director Works Muhammad Mazhar, officers of Labour Department concerned and DCO Rawalpindi Sajid Zaffar attended the meeting.

Suspect arrested with Afghan SIMs
By our correspondent
DERA ISMIAL KHAN: The police arrested a suspected person on Wednesday and recovered jihadi literature and Afghan SIMs from his possession, official sources said. The sources said the Gomal University Police stopped a man identified as Abdur Rehman at the Landa Adda checkpoint and recovered jihadi literature from him. The police also recovered Afghan SIMs and maps of the area from his possession. The arrested person was moved to an undisclosed location for interrogation.

Upper Hazara in grip of severe cold
By our correspondent
MANSEHRA: The upper parts of Hazara Division are in the grip of a severe cold after the mountainous areas have received heavy snowfall. The mountainous areas in Mansehra, Balakot, Konsh, Siran and Kaghan valleys received snowfall entire Tuesday night, bringing the mercury to minus degree Celsius. “We felt severe cold last night in a decade because even hilltops in city and its suburbs have received massive snowfall,” said Jibran Ali, a local. The road link of Kaghan, Allai, Siran and Konsh valleys with other parts of Hazara cut off after landslide and heavy snowfall blocked the routes. Visitors and locals in Kaghan valley remained stranded in the valley on Wednesday as roads could not be reopened for traffic.

Chinese team visits PBIT office
By our correspondent
LAHORE: A Chinese delegation comprising Chairman, General Secretary and members of Jiangsu Chamber of Commerce, China visited the office of Punjab Board of Investment & Trade (PBIT). The delegation was welcomed by the Director General Projects, PBIT Ms Lubna Pathan and her team. They were given a brief presentation about PBIT by Director, PBIT Ms Tayyaba Kamal. Main purpose of the visit was to exchange ideas and identify areas of collaboration. DG Projects proposed that China could collaborate with Punjab in the education sector, including vocational training, seminars, workshops and technical education.

Official injured in Hangu accident
By our correspondent
HANGU: An official of the Immigration Department and his operator were injured in a road accident here on Wednesday, sources said. The sources said that Assistant Director Javed Khan along with his operator Gohar Khan was on his way to Hangu from Kohat when his car collided with a van near Raeesan. Both of them sustained injuries and were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Hangu where their condition was stated to be stable.

Police patrol attacked in Peshawar
By our correspondent
PESHAWAR: A patrolling car of police was attacked in the limits of Daudzai Police Station on Wednesday, causing no casualty. Police said the cops of the Daudzai Police Station raided a hideout and arrested an outlaw, but his accomplices threw a hand-grenade at the police car to help him escape.

Recovered explosives destroyed
By our correspondent
JAMRUD: The security forces on Wednesday destroyed the explosives recovered during search operation during the last two days, official sources said. The sources said the forces had seized explosive materials during search operation in various areas in Jamrud tehsil. The forces transported the explosives to Ghundi area where these materials were destroyed.

Four arrested, arms seized in DI Khan
By our correspondent
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The police arrested four robbers and seized arms, gold and cash from them in the limits of Saddar Police Station on Wednesday, official sources said. They said the police raided the dens of the criminals in Kokar area and arrested four outlaws involved in a robbery. One motorcycle, five mobile phones, two pistols, gold ornaments and Rs134,000 were recovered from them. Names of the criminals were not disclosed.

Bomb defused in Bannu
By our correspondent
BANNU: The police defused an explosive device near Bhangi Phattak early Wednesday, sources said. The sources said a police party headed by deputy superintendent of police Syed Inayat Ali Shah spotted a bag near the Bhangi Pattak. After being informed, the bomb disposal unit personnel rushed to the spot defused the bomb weighing four kilograms.

Iran hands over 41 deportees to Pakistan
CHAGHI: Iranian security forces handed over 41 Pakistani nationals to Levies force on Pak-Iran border in Taftan area of Chaghi district. Levies force informed on Wednesday that these Pakistani workers were apprehended in Iran by Iranian security forces because they were living there without valid documents.

Official expresses dissatisfaction over anti-polio drive
By our correspondent
SUKKUR: Some families in Ghotki and Sukkur refused to have their children vaccinated against polio. Reports said that a meeting was held here at the office of the commissioner of Sukkur, Muhammad Abbas Baloch, about progress in anti-polio vaccination. The commissioner of Sukkur told the meeting that there was a poor vaccination campaign in Sukkur. He said the deputy commissioners were not bothering to see how the campaigns were being run and not visiting the polio control rooms established in their offices. The commissioner referred to the report about the families who refused to have their children vaccinated against polio.

Dry, chilly weather predicted
By our correspondent
LAHORE: A shallow trough is prevailing over northern parts of the country. Continental air is prevailing over other parts of the country which is carrying the chill from the freshly snow-covered tops down to the plain areas.The minimum temperature in the city was 4 degrees Celsius while that in the country was -11 at Parachinar and Kalam. Malam Jabba and Murree were painted by 3 inch and 2 inch of snow respectively. In the next 24 hours, very cold and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country.

SSP hands over appointment orders
to children of martyred cops
HYDERABAD: Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Hyderabad, Irfan Baloch handed over the orders of appointment to the children of martyred policemen at a simple ceremony at his office here on Wednesday.According to spokesman for police, the appointment orders were given to Mazhar Shani, sons of martyred SHO Wahid Bakhsh Leghari, Constable Abdul Jabbar Sheikh, Anwar Jameel Rajput, Dilbar Husain, Shahid Ali and Sahib Khan. Speaking on the occasion, the SSP paid tributes to the martyred cops for laying down their lives for the sake of maintaining law and order in the district. He also acknowledged the role of the civil society, traders and the media, which supported the ongoing police action against the outlaws.