Briefs...

95th birth anniversary of comrade Sobho Gianchandani marked
By our correspondent
SUKKUR: Different organisations and representatives of civil society celebrated the 95th birth anniversary of renowned intellectual of the subcontinent and leftist leader Comrade Sobho Gianchandani here in Larkana on Sunday.The Pirbhat Women Development Society (PWDS) organized a ceremony at the residence of late comrade Sobho Gianchandani to mark the 95th birth anniversary of the famous intellectual, writer and freedom fighter at Gianchandani House in Larkana.

Demonstration in support of army in Multan
News Desk
MULTAN: A demonstration was staged in support of the Pakistan Army and against Altaf Hussain by the Muttahida Shahri Mahaz. The demonstration was led by former MPA Shah Mahmood Khan. The demonstrators raised slogans in support of the Pakistan Army and pledged that no slander or libel against the army will be tolerated. Addressing the demonstrators, Mahmood Shah said action should be taken against those who try to defame the army.

Anti-polio drive in Orakzai from today
By our correspondent
HANGU: A three-day anti-polio campaign in Orakzai Agency gets underway today.Talking to reporters, Agency Surgeon Dr Muhammad Idrees said that the political administration and health department had formed 126 teams to administered anti-polio drops to children at their doorstep.He said 33,000 children would be administered anti-polio drops during the drive in the tribal region.He said the local tribal elders, religious scholars and other influential persons have assured full support to the political administration and health department in achieving the target.

Seven robbers arrested in Lahore, booty seized
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The Chung police arrested seven members of two gangs of robbers and recovered booty. The arrested robbers of the first gang, identified as Ejaz, Allah Rakha and Usman, confessed to committing 26 robberies in various parts of the city. Police recovered 10 cell phones, Rs100,000 in cash and illegal weapons from their possession. The arrested members of another gang identified as Jawad, Aqeel, Farman and Jehangir confessed to committing 35 robberies in different parts of the city. Police recovered a bike, Rs80,000 in cash, 10 cell phones and illegal weapons from their possession. The DIG operations has announced cash prizes and appreciation certificates for the police team.

‘Nizam-e-Salaat is an open interference in religious beliefs’
News Desk
ISLAMABAD: The Patron-in-Chief of the Supreme Shia Ulema Board and chief of the Tehreek Nafaz Fiqh-e-Jafariya Agha Syed Hamid Ali Shah Moosavi has said similar Nizam-e-Salaat system is an open interference in the beliefs of other Makatib and has created unrest among the Maktab-e-Tashih. He said the Ministry of Religious Affairs should remain within its limits and should not touch sensitive issues and create new problems. He lamented that the Ministry of Religious Affairs had been turned into the Ministry of Maslaks. He said the clarification of the Ministry of Religious Affairs viz Haj forms is vague because there are five recognised Fiqhs in Islam, so why not all these five mentioned in the form.

Weather to remain hot, dry
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Continental air is prevailing over most parts of the country, whereas, a shallow low also lies over Balochistan and adjoining areas. This system is likely to cause thunderstorm and rain at isolated places of Malakand, Hazara, Sargodha divisions and Gilgit-Baltistan during Monday (evening/night). Dust raising/gusty winds with partly cloudy weather conditions are also expected at isolated places of Lower Sindh (Hyderabad/Mirpurkhas divisions) during evening/night. Very hot weather conditions will continue in Sindh, Balochistan and South Punjab. The maximum temperature in Lahore on Sunday was 38 degree Celsius while the minimum was 22. The maximum in the country was 46C at Turbat. No rainfall was reported anywhere in the country on Sunday.

140kg hashish seized in Kurram
By our correspondent
PARACHINAR: Officials of the political administration and the Levies force seized 140 kilograms of hashish and arrested two alleged drug-traffickers in the Alizai area in Lower Kurram Agency, official sources said on Sunday. They said that acting on a tip-off, officials of Levies Force and the political administration erected barricades on the road in Alizai area and signaled a vehicle to stop. On thorough search, 140 kgs of hashish were recovered from the hidden cavities of the vehicle. The Levies Force arrested the drug-traffickers, whose names were not disclosed, and started investigation.

PPP leader gunned down
JARANWALA: Pakistan Peoples Party’s leader Rana Shafaqat Sunday was killed in Jaranwala by unknown miscreants. The local president of PPP in Bachiana was inside his office when some unidentified armed men opened fire and assassinated him. Police on getting the information arrived at the scene whereas City Police Officer Faisalabad also made an investigation team over this issue. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also sought a report on Shafaqat’s murder by expressing grief over his killing. -Online

Jobless man commits suicide
By our correspondent
LAHORE: A 40-year-old man committed suicide by hanging himself with a rope in the Raiwind area Sunday. Police said the man identified as Shafqat was depressed due to some domestic issues and unemployment. On the day of the incident, he locked himself up in a room and ended his life by hanging himself with a rope. Police handed over the body to the family.

Seven held for smuggling girls to Dubai
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The CIA police arrested seven persons, including a woman for smuggling girls to Dubai. The arrested human traffickers were identified as Munawar Bibi, Nawaz Naveed, Suhail, Zahoor Ahmad, Javed and Waqas. Police recovered seven girls from their possession.

Nankana facing 15 hours loadshedding
By our correspondent
NANKANA SAHIB: People have been facing several problems due to 13-15 hours unscheduled electricity loadshedding in the city and adjoining areas. Talking to newsmen here on Sunday, the people said that the loadshedding had paralysed routine activities of life. They have demanded the government take steps to end the loadshedding.

Gang busted, 35 bikes recovered
By our correspondent
OKARA: A-Division police arrested three dacoits and recovered 35 motorcycles from them here on Sunday. On a tip-off, a police team raided and arrested Ijaz alias Juji, Amir and Najmus Saqib. Police also recovered 35 motorcycles from them. The motorcycles would be handed over to the owners after completion of legal procedure.

Three of a family injured by rivals
By our correspondent
TOBA TEK SINGH: Three members of a family were injured by their rivals at Chak 158/GB on Sunday. Naeem and others allegedly shot at and injured Sobia, her brother Usman and their uncle Nazir. Earlier, the accused had also murdered Muhammad Ali, father of Sobia and Usman, and the case was under trial in a court.

KP Police arrest 386 suspects in operations
By our correspondent
PESHAWAR: Under the anti-terror National Action Plan, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police have arrested 386 suspects and recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition in the ongoing search and strike operations throughout the province.According to a police statement, the police conducted search and strike operations in various parts of the province and recovered 30 arms and ammunition of different kinds and 524 rounds of different bore and 500g of explosive material. During the operations, 637 houses and 246 hotels were checked and two cases were registered. During snap checking at 153 posts, 281 suspects were held and 16 arms of different kinds and 247 cartridges of different bore were recovered. During action against unregistered Afghans, 123 people were detained and 14 cases have been registered against them. A part from this security inspections of 762 educational institutions were also carried out and various institutions were advised to beef up the security arrangements.

Politicising Shandur festival was not
in interest of the country: MPAs
By our correspondent
CHITRAL: Two members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Sunday said that politicising the Shandur festival was not in the interest of the country. Speaking at separate press conferences, MPAs Syed Sardar Hussain and Fauzia Bibi said that certain people wanted to make the festival controversial for their personal gains. They said that administration makes arrangements for events and public representatives had no role in it. They claimed that Shandur had not been made disputed in the memorandum of understanding, saying the step had been taken to attract tourists for the festival. Organising the event would serve the interests of all the stakeholders, they said.

Scientist’s research ranked among top five
By our correspondent
TIMERGARA: The research of a Pakistani scientist was declared among the top five research articles in the world.The research article of Dr Shahzeb Khan of the University of Malakand published in international scientific journal ‘Angewandte Chemie’ was declared one of the top five research articles on the topic at global level. Dr Shahzeb Khan, who is an assistant professor at the Department of Pharmacy, University of Malakand, achieved the distinction in a tough competition among researchers from 15 countries. His article titled “Secondary Crystal Nucleation: Nuclei Breeding Factory Uncovered” made him the first Pakistani scientist in the field of pharmacy to qualify for this award. His research work focused on fabrication and stability of drug nanoparticles using experimental and MD simulation approaches. Prof Jamshed Anwar, the associate dean for research at the University of Lancaster, UK, has also acknowledged the work of the researcher. Dr Shahzeb, who got his Ph.D degree from the University of Bradford UK, told this scribe that he was born to an illiterate and middle class family in Fateh Khan Khujari village in Bannu district.

Haripur residents seek railway crossing
By Tehseen Ullah Khan
HARIPUR: The residents of various localities situated across the Railway Station Haripur on Friday urged the authorities to set up a railway crossing or a bridge over the track so that they could access the road. Talking to The News, the residents of Mohallah Railway Station Nai Abadi, Dhok Talokar, Afghan Colony, Roshanabad, Rajaabad and adjoining areas said they had been facing problems due to the railway track. “We have been demanding access to the Railway Road, but neither the elected representatives nor Pakistan Railway authorities are bothered to address our genuine problem,” said Niamat Gul, a social activist.
He said the locals had the only access route from Mohalla Soka passing from the backside of the Railway quarters but that too was blocked by the Railway officials. Amin, another resident said that during the rainy season the unpaved road, which was bumpy, made it difficult for the pedestrians and motorists to move. He said despite the fact the Railway Road was at a stone’s throw from the Nai Abadi, the Railway authorities, despite repeated requests, never allowed the establishment of the level-crossing or bridge to mitigate the sufferings of the people.

Arms, drugs recovered; five arrested
By our correspondent
KOHAT: The police arrested five drug and arms traffickers, two women among them, and recovered arms and drugs from them, officials said on Sunday. They said that the police stopped a passenger vehicle on the Indus Highway and recovered seven kilograms of hashish from the bags of two women during the search. The police arrested the women identified as Parven Bibi and Yasmeen Bibi. Similarly, the cops during a snap checking near Old Tool Palaza on Indus Highway arrested three members of an arms trafficking group, Naqeebullah, Shah Nazar and Shahidullah. The police also recovered two repeaters, two rifles, as many pistols and six magazines from them. The police lodged cases and started an investigation.

Union council candidate killed in Swat
By our correspondent
MINGORA: Unidentified gunmen shot dead a local leader of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and candidate for union council in Qambar area in Swat district on Sunday. Sources said that unidentified persons opened fire on Akbar Ali as soon as he came out of a mosque after offering the Isha prayers. He received several bullets in his body and died on the spot. Sources said Akbar Ali was also a member of the village defence committee. The police and security forces launched a search operation in the area after the attack. “The killers will be brought to justice as we are gathering important information,” said an official

Mortar shell defused in Jamrud
By our correspondent
JAMRUD: The security personnel recovered a mortar shell in the Jamrud Tehsil of Khyber Agency on Sunday. An official said the mortar shell, which was recovered in Ghundi area, was later defused. Meanwhile, three persons sustained injuries when two vehicles collided here. According to a report filed by Khassadar personnel, Amin Jan, Jasam Khan and Kateeb Khan were wounded in the accident in the Surkamar area. The Khassadar personnel reached the spot and took the injured to a nearby hospital.

Alleged militant arrested in Peshawar
By our correspondent
PESHAWAR: The counter terrorism department during an action arrested an alleged militant from Saddar on Sunday. Police said Javed alias Gud was arrested during an action early in the day. Police said the held militant was involved in a number of sabotage acts including the attack on security forces in 2012. The police, in another action, arrested three persons and recovered huge quantity of ammunition and weapons from a vehicle on the Kohat Road.

Protest staged against police in Lahore
LAHORE: Family members of a woman, who expired in a local hospital after being set ablaze by her husband, staged a protest against the Lahore police in front of the Punjab Assembly on Sunday. The protesters placed the victim’s body on the road and blocked The Mall. They chanted slogans against the police and demanded immediate arrests of the culprits involved in the killing of Sadaf. The protesters dispersed after the police assured them of arrests.