Briefs...

Cholistan being turned into wilderness: Durrani
ISLAMABAD: Former minister and leader of the Movement for Restoration of Bahawalpur Province Muhammad Ali Durrani has said Cholistan is being turned into wilderness and this is serving the cause of our enemy. Talking to journalists on International Water Day, he said India has inhabited its Rajasthan deserts by laying the network of canals, but our Ferozpur Headworks has dried to the bottom. He said the under Indus River Treaty, the Sutlej and Ravi rivers were agreed to give new water links. But Sutlej is still deprived of it even after half a century.

Body of Rangers official taken to DG Khan
By our correspondent
DERA GHAZI KHAN: The dead body of the Rangers personnel Muhammad Qasim, who was martyred in a bomb blast in Karachi one day ago, was brought to his native town Taunsa Sharif on Sunday night.Qasim, 23, was recruited in the Rangers one year ago while his marriage was scheduled for next month. His father Muhammad Ayub is a retired employee of the Food Department. Qasim would be buried at his ancestral graveyard at Taunsa Sharif. Meanwhile, talking to reporters, Muhammad Ayub said that it was a dream of Qasim to sacrifice his life for the country. He demanded the government eliminate terrorists completely from the country.
Okara gang ringleader killed
By our correspondent
OKARA: The ringleader of Shauki Oadh gang was killed while his accomplice escaped during an encounter with Basirpur police near Shahamand Bridge on Saturday night. Saifullah of Basirpur was on way home when two dacoits snatched cash, the motorcycle and other valuables from him. On information, police rushed to the spot and started chasing the dacoits. On seeing police, the dacoits opened fire on them. Police also retaliated. As a result, a dacoit was killed on the spot while his accomplice escaped. The killed dacoit was later identified as Shaukat Oadh alias Shauki, the ringleader of Shauki Oadh gang. The killed dacoit was wanted in several dacoity, robbery and theft cases. The gang members used to rape women during dacoities. Police have registered a case.

20 suspects arrested in Gujranwala
By our correspondent
GUJRANWALA: Aroop police launched a search operation around Nandipur power project here on Sunday. Police rounded up 20 suspects and were interrogating them. Police also unearthed a running distillery at Nizampur and confiscated equipment and 10 litre wine while the accused fled.

203 more displaced families leave for SWA
By our correspondent
TANK: Around 203 more families of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) left the Kor Qila camp in Tank for their hometowns in South Waziristan Agency (SWA) on Sunday, official said. An escort of the security forces took the IDP families to their native areas in SWA. This was the sixth convoy, which left for SWA during the ongoing return process, which started on March 16. So far, 1300 families have returned to various areas, including Lower Madijan and Shin Warsak areas, in Sarwakai tehsil in SWA. Meanwhile, the political administration and security forces made changes in the schedule of the repatriation. According to the new schedule, tribespeople would return to the cleared areas from March 23-30.

Man renting house to alleged killer arrested
By our correspondent
MANSEHRA: Police have arrested the owner of the house from where the alleged killer of Naheed Parveen Rehman, director of Orangi Pilot Project, Karachi, was arrested last week, a police official said on Sunday. Speaking at a press conference, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Zulfiqar Khan Jadoon said the police had arrested Mohammad Usman, the owner of the house. It may be recalled that the police in Mansehra on Thursday arrested Ahmad Ali alias Papu Shah Kashmiri, who had allegedly killed Naheed Parveen Rehman. Papu Shah Kashmiri was taken to Karachi amid tight security after he was arrested from Kashmir Bazaar in Mansehra. His family members, including wife, mother and sisters, managed to escape from the house. The Sindh government had announced Rs2.5 million reward for providing information leading to the arrest of Papu Shah Kashmiri.

2,866 rescue softwares installed on cellphone sets
By our correspondent
PESHAWAR: Up to 2,866 rescue software have been installed on mobile phone sets and 11,032 users registered throughout the province so far under the One Click SOS Alert Call Service.According to a Police Department statement, SOS alert call service was introduced in the wake of the attack on the Army Public School and College in Peshawar. The step was taken to effectively handle the emergency situations. This system was developed with the help of Safe City Project Pakistan, said a press release.
A security awareness workshop for the public and private educational institutions across the province was arranged.The staff members were briefed about the security guidelines issued by the operations branch of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police. The heads of the institutions were urged to implement these guidelines before the end of the winter vacations. Those attending the workshop were briefed about the salient features of the One Click SOS Alert Call Service. The educational institutions started registration for adopting this system.

Killer’s house demolished in Khyber Agency
By our correspondent
LANDIKOTAL: The members of a local anti-militant committee demolished the house of an alleged killer in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency on Sunday, tribal sources said. They said that Yaqoob Afridi had allegedly killed Mir Wali in Haji Marmar Killay and had been absconding since then. Acting on the complaint of the victim’s relatives, the members of the peace committee commonly known as ‘Sharishta’ initiated a probe into the murder case and demolished the house of the killer. The locals lauded the action taken by the peace committee, saying that such steps would help curb crimes in the area.

Textbooks distribution in Punjab from tomorrow
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) will formally start distribution of textbooks for students of its partner schools for the academic year 2015-16 from March 24.A PEF spokesman said a total of six million textbooks would be distributed among 1.6 million students in 4,000 partner schools in 36 districts of the province. The books distribution campaign will start from Pasrur (Sialkot) on March 24 and will be held in phases in other districts, as well. A total of 20 distribution points have been set up in different districts, including Lahore. In order to streamline the distribution of textbooks among the PEF partners, a committee has been set up with PEF Director Finance as its convener.

Youth injured in Lalamusa
By our correspondent
LALAMUSA: A trader’s son was shot at and injured at Dakhana Bazaar on Sunday.Iqbal, a trader, and his son Naeem were sitting in their shop when some unidentified accused opened fire at them. As a result, Naeem was seriously injured. He was shifted to a hospital. Later, shopkeepers of the area closed their shops in protest and demanded immediate arrest of the accused persons. City police have started investigation.

Another church blast victim dies
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The death toll in the Yuhannabad blast rose to 19, as a seven-year-old girl expired in a local hospital on Sunday. The girl identified as Anmol was among the 75 victims of church blast. She was admitted to a local hospital with fatal wounds on March 15, 2015, where she succumbed to her wounds Sunday. Body was shifted to morgue.