Briefs...

Re-polling in PK-95 hailed
LAHORE: The Awami Workers Party has welcomed the announcement of re-polling in PK-95 by the Election Commission of Pakistan due to the absence of women voters during the May 30 by-election. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Awami Workers Party President Abid Hassan Manto said that of the 127,096 registered voters in the PK-95 constituency of Lower Dir, 53,000 were women. The party sees the current digression of barring female voters as a continuation of establishment’s politics and anti-people mindset that has bred out of fear in the society. --Correspondent

Under-trial prisoner injures three
in Gujranwala judicial lock-up
By our correspondent
GUJRANWALA: An under-trial prisoner injured two fellow prisoners and a constable with the help of a sharp-edged weapon at the judicial lock-up on Wednesday. Three prisoners Wahab Khan, Imran and Nasir were present in the judicial lock-up before appearing in a trial court where they exchanged harsh words over some issue. Wahab got infuriated and allegedly injured Imran, Nasir and constable Zahid. Wahab is facing murder charge while Imran and Nasir are facing dacoity charge. However, they were brought in a case of keeping cell phone in jail illegally. Civil Lines police have registered a case.

Gang busted, 19 cars recovered in Muzzaffargarh
By our correspondent
MUZAFFARGARH: Police have arrested eight members of an inter-provincial dacoit gang and recovered 19 stolen cars from them. Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, DPO Rai Zameerul Haq said that the gang members were involved in stealing cars from Multan, Muzaffargarh and other areas of the South Punjab and selling them in the KPK. The DPO said that a police team headed by DSP City Ehsanullah raided and arrested the accused persons and recovered 19 stolen cars from them.

Death warrants for four convicts issued
By our correspondent
LAHORE: District and Sessions Judge Tariq Iftikhar on Wednesday issued death warrants for four murderers, on an application moved by the superintendent of Kot Lakhpat Jail. The court has issued death warrants for the convicts, including Shams-ul-Haq, Nawaz, Ghulam Mustafa and Aftab Sheikh. The all four convicts will be hanged in the presence of judicial magistrate Muhammad Yousaf. Death convict Shams-ul-Haq will be hanged on June 4 (today), Nawaz will be hanged on June 9 while Ghulam Mustafa and Aftab Sheikh will be hanged by June 10. All said convicts had filed appeals in superior courts but were rejected, while the President also turned down their appeals for mercy.

Gangster killed by accomplices in Okara
By our correspondent
OKARA: The ring leader of Shabani gang was killed by the firing of his accomplice during a police encounter here. On Monday night, some dacoits blocked a road near Basirpur and snatched a motorcycle from three brothers Ghafoor, Ashraf and Hassan. After receiving information, the Basirpur police started chasing the dacoits and spotted them at Shahamad Bridge near Haveli. Smelling danger, the gangsters opened fire, the police also retaliated. During the encounter, a dacoit was killed by the firing of his accomplices. The remaining gangsters, taking advantage of the darkness, fled the scene. Later, the body was identified as ring leader Shaban alias Shabani.

10 cops booked on court order
By our correspondent
PAKPATTAN: Following the court order, a case was registered against 10 policemen, including suspended Arifwala SHO Shahid Bhutta, on Wednesday. Hafiza Naeema Bashir of Mohallah Muzaffarabad, Arifwala, in a writ petition, stated that 10 policemen, including Shahid Bhutta, in uniform entered her house in search for her brother Mumtaz. During the search, the policemen beat her, her two sisters (Hafiza Saba Bashir and Hafiza Samina Bashir) and her brother’s wife Madiha Akram. They also tore their clothes during the search and took away Rs 10,000 and gold ornaments worth Rs 95,000.

NWA official survives bomb attack
By our correspondent
WANA: An official of the political administration remained unhurt in a roadside remote-controlled bomb attack in Shakai tehsil in South Waziristan, official sources said on Wednesday. The sources said that Assistant Political Tehsildar Muhammad Zaman was driving to his office when his car was targetted with a bomb exploded through a remote-control device. “The vehicle was destroyed in the blast. However, the official remained unhurt,” official sources said. The political administration sent a team to Shakai for investigating the incident.

Two women raped in Pakpattan incidents
By our correspondent
PAKPATTAN: Two women were raped in separate incidents here on Wednesday. In the first incident, two accused including Naveed Ahmad entered the house of Ghulam Mustafa at Chak 79-EB, took his wife in fields, where accused Naveed allegedly raped her. In another incident, four accused including Munawar allegedly abducted the wife of Nazim Hussain at Chak Kend Kanjwan and took her to Haroonabad where accused Mursalin allegedly raped her. Police have registered cases.

Bags carrying Form-15 opened
By our correspondent
PAKPATTAN: On the directives of the judicial commission, the Pakpattan district sessions judge and the district election commissioner opened the bags carrying Form-15 of one National Assembly and two Punjab Assembly constituencies NA-166, PP-230 and PP-231 here on Wednesday. The district election commissioner said the copies of Form-15 would be sent to the judicial commission soon. The DCO and the DPO were also present on the occasion.

Murderer of two people hanged
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Murderer of two people was hanged at Kot Lakhpat Central Jail on Wednesday. Javed alias Jaida had killed two people including a 14-year-old boy eighteen years ago in North Cantt area. His plea for clemency was rejected and later his death warrant was issued. Family members of Javed held last meeting with him before his execution. After the execution, Javed’s body was handed over to his family members. He was frightened and shivering while approaching the gallows, the jail sources said.

Weapons seized in Hangu operation
By our correspondent
HANGU: The security forces seized weapons during a search operation in Thall tehsil on Wednesday, official sources said. They said that the acting on a tip-off, the security forces launched the search operation in Paloseen area in Thall and seized 2 shotguns, one RPG-7, 23 rockets shells, 22 fuses, one pistol and several cartridges.

One held for making obnoxious call
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Hunjarwal police Wednesday arrested a man for making an obnoxious call about the desecration of Holy Quran. An unidentified man informed 15 that a man was desecrating the Holy Quran near Multan Chungi. A police team led by SHO Inspector Malik Raheel Amjad rushed the spot and arrested the caller.

Missing taxi driver’s body found
By our correspondent
OKARA: A body of taxi driver who went missing two days ago was found on Wednesday. Taxi driver Naseer Ahmad had gone with someone in his taxi but did not return. On June 3, 2015, his body was found in the jurisdiction of Police Station Gogera.