Briefs...

Police issue sketches of suspected terrorists
our correspondent
LAHORE: Police have issued sketches of suspected terrorists involved in twin church blasts in Youhanabad. Police have appealed to the public to inform them about the whereabouts of the suspects. The identity of informers would be kept secret.

40 mill workers injured as bus overturns in Hafizabad
By our correspondent
HAFIZABAD: Forty female workers were injured when a mill bus overturned near Mustafabad village on Pindi Bhattian-Lahore Road on Wednesday. A bus carrying more than 50 female workers was going to Bahu Maan from Sangla Hills when it overturned due to overspeeding. As a result, Bashiran, Najma, Saba, Farha, Nishat, Asma and others were injured. They were rushed to the Pindi Bhattian THQ Hospital.

Two robbers killed in Lahore ‘encounter’
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Two robbers were killed in an alleged police encounter in Defence B Police area on Wednesday. The robbers were identified as Ebad Gull Khan and Awais Rashid Khan and their two accomplices Fawad Khan and Zeeshan Khan injured in the encounter were arrested. The car riders opened fire on a police party. The policemen retaliated and killed two robbers.

Lahore Police to get bullet-proof bunkers
By our correspondent
LAHORE: IGP Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera has decided to provide bullet proof bunkers at police pickets in Lahore. The IGP inspected the samples of these bullet proof bunkers at Central Police Office. These samples were prepared by the Pakistan Army. Initially these bunkers will be provided at 20 pickets of Lahore. The bunkers would be moveable and could easily be installed at any picket. The IGP said a strategy to provide these bunkers to other cities is under consideration. He said after the installation of these bunkers, the police officials could perform their duty without any fear.

NAB arrests two more accused of Modaraba scandal
By our correspondent
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Wednesday arrested two accused of Mudaraba scandal here on Wednesday, an official said. Deputy Director (Media) Saadullah Mehsud said the accused Naseem Gul and Kashif Zeb of Amazing Finance Company Limited Hangu in the garb of Islamic mode of Finance, Mudaraba business, allegedly cheated public at large and looted millions of rupees from innocent people fraudulently.He said that the accused lured people to invest money in the fake company on the assurance of being paid a huge profit on return but after a few months they had not only stopped paying profits but also refused to pay back the capital to the people and escaped. As per details, NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa received claims up to Rs30.42 million against accused so far, he added.

Lala Amir Siddidui is no more
By our correspondent
PESHAWAR: Lala Mohammad Amir Siddiqui, who owned one of the oldest news agencies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, passed away here Wednesday. He ran the Sadiq News Agency in Peshawar and provided newspapers and periodicals to customers in the city and other places. His Namaz-i-Janaza was held late Wednesday night at the Khushal Park on the Warsak Road. It was largely attended by people from different walks of life. The deceased was the father of Air Vice Marshal (r) Faez Amir, who is presently vice-chancellor of a university in Islamabad, the US-based writer Atiq Siddiqui, and senior journalist Intikhab Amir, who served as president of both the Peshawar Press Club and Khyber Union of Journalists.

Six drug-traffickers held in FR Bannu
By our correspondent
BANNU: The officials of the political administration of Frontier Region (FR) Bannu arrested six drug-traffickers and seized drugs and arms from them on Wednesday, an official said.Talking to reporters, Assistant Political Agent Javedullah Mehsud said that acting on a tip-off, the officials of the Levies Forces along with the security forces launched search and strike operation in various parts of the FR Bannu. He said that six drug-traffickers identified as Tawab, Ghazirullah, Mir Qadam, Rehmanullah, Rasool Zaman and Shafidur Rehman were arrested and seized 18 kilogram hashish and arms from their possession.

Full bench to hear signal-free corridor case
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court Chief Justice on Wednesday constituted a full bench to hear petitions challenging a project of ‘signal free corridor’ from Qartaba Chowk to Liberty Market, Gulberg.Justice Syed Mansoor Ali on last hearing had requested the Chief Justice to form a larger bench as the matter involved important legal points. Justice Shah had already stayed the project for several violations of rules and laws on part of the Lahore Development Authority.The CJ constituted the full bench comprising Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Muhammad Yawar Ali and Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh. The bench would resume hearing on March 26 (today).

Govt’s reply sought in LG polls case
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah on Wednesday sought reply from the federal government and the Punjab government in a petition seeking delay in local government election in the Cantonment areas until new delimitation. A lawyer-petitioner had filed a petition submitting that the cantonment board had not held new delimitation for the upcoming LG polls. The petitioner said the holding the polls without new delimitation was a violation of the Constitution. He prayed the court to stay the election process till fresh process of delimitation by the cantonment board. Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah issued notices to the law officers for March 26.

Four hunters held in Kaghan
By our correspondent
MANSEHRA: The Wildlife Department has arrested four hunters who allegedly attempted to prey on rare pheasant species in Kaghan valley. A team of Wildlife Department arrested four hunters, including Taj Muhammad of Balakot, Ghulam Daud, Sardar Liaqat and Abdul Malik.