Briefs...

Two convicts to be hanged in Sialkot jail
By our correspondent
SIALKOT: Two murder convicts will be hanged in the District Jail. Laazer Masih will be hanged on Thursday and Muhammad Naeem on Friday. Laazer Masih had murdered Wasim (18) in Naikapura police limits on February 13, 2003 while Naeem had murdered a married woman at Gohadpur village in Uggoki police limits on May 13, 1998. The black warrants for both convicts had been issued after their mercy pleas were rejected by the president.

Two killed in Killa Abdullah clash
CHAMAN: As many as two persons died in a clash between two groups over water dispute in Gulistan area of Killa Abdullah district on Tuesday.Levies sources said that two sub-clans took position and used weapons against each other due to water dispute. As a result, two of them died on the spot after receiving multiple bullets. The bodies of the deceased were shifted to nearby hospital for legal formalities where the dead were identified as Noor Ali and Muhammad Ghani. Levies force is looking into the matter.

Three students confess to abduction
By our correspondent
FAISALABAD: Three students of the Government College University have confessed to abducting a BA student of the same varsity for Rs 50 million ransom. Sargodha Road police, raided Ali Town and arrested the accused students - Ghazanfar Ali, Muhammad Safdar and Bilal Ahmad. During preliminary investigation, the accused confessed to committing the crime. They said that they had abducted Kashif five days ago. Later, they contacted the abductee’s family and demanded Rs 50 million for his release.

Cops in Hangu seek polio duty allowance
By Saleh Din Orakzai
HANGU: Around 294 cops have been denied transport and allowances for polio duty in the district, sources said on Tuesday. Some of the affected cops told The News on the condition of anonymity that they had been on polio duty for the last more than one year. They said that they had not been provided transport or polio allowance. The cops said that they had repeatedly requested the offices of district health and district police officers for the payment of allowances but to no avail. “We even provide fuel for our motorbikes from our own pockets,” one of the cops maintained. District Health Officer Dr Ziaur Rehman said the cops had been demanding payment of the allowances since long. “We have informed the provincial government through the DPO office for releasing the fund to be paid to the cops,” he added. He admitted that the cops were neither paid any allowance nor provided food when they performed polio duty.

Villagers secure release of power thieves by force
By our correspondent
PESHAWAR: The Peshawar Electric Supply Company officials on Tuesday caught red-handed two persons in the Pawaka village for using direct hooks but a mob took away the power thieves from the custody of police. The Pesco officials were in the area in connection with a drive against the power theft. The officials arrested two persons, Adil and Murtaza. However, a mob gathered there and forced the police to release both the alleged power thieves. A case was registered against the accused and a fine of Rs20,000 each imposed, said a Pesco press release.

Man kidnapped from Peshawar recovered in Mardan
By our correspondent
PESHAWAR: The Counter Terrorism-Department during an action in Mardan recovered a resident of Tehkal who had been kidnapped for ransom. Officials said Mohammad Ali was kidnapped from the Tehkal area in Peshawar after which a case was lodged at the CTD police station on May 18. The CTD official, while working out the case, raided a hideout in Mardan and recovered the kidnapped person. Two alleged kidnapers were also arrested.

Cop injured in Hangu blast
By our correspondent
HANGU: A cop sustained injuries in a blast at a security checkpost in Spin Thall situated on the boundary of Hangu district and Orakzai Agency on Tuesday, an official said. Station House Officer (SHO) of the Thall Police Station Bahadur Nawaz said that Head Constable Abidur Rehman was performing duty at the checkpost manned jointly by police and security forces. He said that the blast occurred when the head constable stepped over a landmine planted by unidentified persons on the premises of the checkpost. He was shifted to a hospital in Peshawar due to his critical condition.

Policeman shot dead in Swat
By our correspondent
MINGORA: Unidentified persons shot dead a policeman here on Tuesday, official sources said. They said Ihsanullah of the special police force was on duty at the Taj Chowk when armed men opened fire on him, killing him on the spot while injuring a passerby. The dead and injured were shifted to the Saidu Sharif Hospital. The police launched a search operation and arrested several suspected persons after the crime. Talking to reporters, district police officer (DPO) Muhammad Saleem Marwat said an investigation was being conducted whether it was an incident of target killing or personal enmity. He said the culprits would be arrested soon.

Four commit suicide in Kurram
By our correspondent
PARACHINAR: Four persons committed suicide in various parts of Kurram Agency on Tuesday, official sources said. They said that Abdur Rahim, 50, ended his life by shooting himself over a domestic issue in Tanorak area. Meanwhile, one Abdullah shot himself dead over unknown reasons in Gandao village in Para Chamkani area. When his friend Majid Khan heard the news of his friend’s death, he also ended his life. Similarly, Iqbal Khan committed suicide over unknown reasons in the Kochi area in central Kurram Agency.

Man shot dead in Jamrud
By our correspondent
JAMRUD: Unidentified persons shot dead a tribesman in the Jamrud Tehsil of Khyber Agency, official sources on Tuesday.The sources said that Sahib Jan was on his way home on Monday evening from Jamrud Bazaar when armed motorcyclists shot him dead in the Surkamar area. Unidentified persons had also killed Sahib Jan’s son and nephew recently.

Body of woman exhumed in Mansehra
By our correspondent
MANSEHRA: The body of woman, who had been burnt to death earlier this month, was exhumed in the Balimung area on Tuesday. Musarrat Bibi, mother of two minor children, died in hospital last week after sustaining burn injures in a fire, which according to her husband, erupted from stove burst. The father of woman, Murad Khan, told the police that his son-in-law Mir Afzal had set his wife on fire and later termed it as accident.

Murder convict pardoned in Gujranwala
By our correspondent
GUJRANWALA: A murder convict was pardoned just a few minutes before his execution at the Central Jail on Tuesday.Akram, son of Muzaffar, who had murdered Ramzan, was to be hanged at the Central Jail on Tuesday morning. However, Ramzan’s legal heirs pardoned him just a few minutes before his execution. The legal heirs recorded their statements before Judicial Magistrate Malik Saleem to pardon the convict.

Passco inspector held for taking bribe
By our correspondent
GUJRANWALA: FIA Inspector Sajjad Haidar on Tuesday arrested a Passco inspector red-handed when he was taking Rs20,000 as bribe from a grower. The FIA team raided at Sukheke, Hafizabad district, and arrested Dilawar Niaz for taking bribe from a grower for the purchase of substandard wheat. Further investigations are underway.