Briefs...

Two kids killed in jubilant firing
By our correspondent
KASUR: Two children were killed during jubilant firing in a wedding function at Gatti Kalangar village in Ganda Singh police limits on Wednesday. The marriage ceremony of Sardar Arif Dogar was under way when a guest, Bashir Ahmad, under the influence resorted to aerial firing, killing Shamshad, 9, and Waseem, 8.

Hashish recovered, two smugglers arrested
By our correspondent
NOWSHERA: The police recovered 61 kilogram of hashishand arrested two drug traffickers in Azakhel area, an official said on Wednesday. District Police Officer (DPO) Rabnawaz Khan said that acting on a tip-off, the police established a checkpost on the Grand Trunk Road in Azakhel area and started searching vehicles.

Shujaat for unconditional support to Saudi Arabia
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-i-Azam (PML-Q) President and former prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has demanded that the government announce an unconditional support for Saudi Arabia over the Yemen issue. In a statement on Wednesday, he said the Yemen issue had been made a joke by presenting it in the parliament and was not properly debated. He said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf members were criticised in the National assembly while they were welcomed in the Punjab Assembly. Hussain said that at every difficult time, Saudi Arabia helped Pakistan. “Now if Saudi Arabia needs our help, it is our duty to help it,” he said.

Election petition against MPA Akbar Hayat Hiraj dismissed
By our correspondent
MULTAN: The election tribunal judge, Justice (retd) Rana Zahid Mehmood, rejected a petition against MPA Akbar Hayat Hiraj due to lack of evidence here on Wednesday. PML-N candidate Syed Mukhtar Hussain Shah had filed a petition before the election tribunal, alleging that independent candidate Akbar Hayat Hiraj rigged the elections in PP-212, Khanewal-II, but he failed to furnish evidences. After hearing arguments from both sides, the election tribunal rejected the petition after the petitioner failed to produce rigging evidence.

ECP seeks list of LG candidates for reserved seats
By our correspondent
PESHAWAR: The Election Commission Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday asked all the political parties to submit the lists of candidates for the reserved seats of women, minorities, youths and peasants and workers for every district, tehsil and town councils for local government elections across the province with the relevant returning officers till April 19. Through a statement issued here, the Election Commission asked the all political parties to submit the lists of their candidates for the reserved seats for the LG polls to be held on May 30, 2015. “It is notified for all the registered political parties that as per the Election Commission of Pakistan’s notice under section 47 (7) ( c) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act 2015, all the political parties are directed to submit the lists of their candidates for reserved seats of women, youths, minorities and Kisan Mazdoor till April 19,” the communiqué said.

Fake Taliban leader fails to rob bank
By our correspondent
OKARA: A man posing as a Taliban leader tried to rob a bank in Haveli Lakha but police arrested him after a timely action. The robber, who parked his car outside a private bank branch, entered the premises on Wednesday. Introducing himself to the manager as a Taliban leader, he claimed having a bomb and demanded handing over cash by threatening to detonate the explosives. The customers present at the bank panicked as the frightened manager directed the staff to collect cash. However, someone informed DPO Faisal Rana on phone, who ordered to the local SHO to reach the bank. He also contacted the bank staff and advised them to keep the robber engaged. The police arrested the robber who was later identified himself as Imran.

DCO issues flood warning
By our correspondent
MUZAFFARGARH: DCO Hafiz Shaukat Ali Wednesday issued a flood warning to the people who reside near river areas as water level has increased in the River Chenab. The warning has been issued for Rangpur, Khudai, Head Mohammad Wala, Langra Saria, Murabada, Dobaha, Sunakki, Khangarh and Sher Sultan areas because more than one lakh cusecs water is heading from the Trimmu Barrage. According to Irrigation sources, flood water was likely to enter Muzaffargarh District and pass through the Chenab Bridge on Thursday (today).

Six arrested, arms recovered in Hangu
By our correspondent
HANGU: The police arrested six persons, including four Afghan nationals, for their alleged involvement in the killing of three schoolteachers and recovered arms from them during a search operation, an official said Wednesday. Station House Officer City Police Station Amjad Hussain told reporters that the police launched a search operation in Darband area and Afghan refugee camp. He said the police arrested six persons, including Ahmad Saeed, Kamal alias Kamalay and four Afghan nationals, who were wanted to the police in various cases of murders, robberies, kidnapping for ransom and other acts of terrorism in the district. The official said the police recovered two repeaters, three Kalashnikovs, three pistols, six daggers, as many magazines and hundreds of cartridges from them. He claimed the accused had also shot and killed three schoolteachers in Kach Banda a year ago.

Alleged terrorist held, IED recovered
By our correspondent
PESHAWAR: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Wednesday foiled a terror bid and arrested an alleged terrorist at the Customs Chowk here. An official of the CTD said that acting on a tip-off, the commandoes of the force signalled a motorbike riders coming from Khyber Agency to stop, but they escaped. He said the CTD personnel chased them and arrested the accused Shah Hussain. An improvised explosive device (IED) weighing 1.2 kilogram was recovered from his possession. The official said his accomplice, Aziz Jamal, managed to escape. According to the officials, the accused were involved in kidnapping of an actor, Alamzeb Mujahid, in 2009 and the attack on the Police Public School in 2010.

House blown up in Jamrud
By our correspondent
JAMRUD: Unidentified persons blew up the house of a tribesman in Shagai area in Khyber Agency, official sources said on Wednesday. They said that unidentified persons placed the explosives outside the house and triggered the explosion early in the day. The house was completely destroyed in the blast. However, no casualty was reported in the incident. In Sur Kamar area, the security forces arrested three persons during a search operation. One of the suspects sustained injuries when the forces opened fire on him when he tried to escape, said a local.

Several militants held in Bara search
By our correspondent
BARA: The security forces arrested several militants and seized arms and ammunition from their possession during search operation in Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency on Wednesday, official sources said. The sources said the security forces carried out search operation against the militants in Tangi area in which several militants, including an important commander, were arrested in the operation. The security forces also seized 25 mini missiles, 35 improvised explosive devices, three suicide vests and a cache of arms from their possession. The militants were shifted to an undisclosed location for interrogation, the sources added.

10 suspects, seven outlaws held in Lakki
By our correspondent
LAKKI MARWAT: The police arrested 10 suspected persons and seven outlaws, besides impounding dozens of unregistered bikes, during a crackdown on Wednesday, an official said. The police spokesperson Shahid Hameed said that following the directives of the District Police Officer (DPO) Syed Ali Akbar Shah, the police in crackdown against the anti-social elements rounded up 10 suspected persons and seven outlaws who were wanted to the police. He said the police also impounded 85 unregistered bikes and seized pistol, 500 grams hashish and a good number of cartridges from their possession.

Two students killed in accident
By our correspondent
TOBA TEK SINGH: Two students were killed in a road accident near Sem Nullah Bridge on Wednesday. Waseem, Aleem and Atif were on their way to Gojra from Chak 281/JB by a motorcycle when their bike fell after colliding with a huge stone on Painsara-Gojra Road. As a result, all three bikers were injured and sustained head injuries. They were shifted to the THQ Hospital Gojra where Waseem and Aleem succumbed to injuries.

SC dismisses plea against use of Bahria’s name
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed application filed against use of name of Bahria in the Bahria Town Project by declaring it not maintainable.This judgement was announced by three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Mian Saqib Nisar. The court remarked that the hearing of the plea could not be held under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution as the applicant is not an affected party.This application was moved by Hassan Ilyas Kaafi which was disposed of by the court. It was stated in the application that the owner of Bahria Town was using name of Bahria illegally.