Briefs...

‘Metro bus critics enemies of people’
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Punjab government spokesman Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri, reacting to a press conference of Ch Pervaiz Elahi, has said those criticising the metro bus are enemies of the poor and the confidence of the masses in the bus is a slap in their face.He claimed that Shahbaz Sharif’s tenure was an era of transparency, progress and prosperity whereas during the tenure of the Q-League, a drama was enacted in the name of Parha Likha Punjab. He said that development projects of Q-League in Punjab were an example of loot and corruption. He said that Pervaiz Elahi could not mislead the people through bogus figures. He said that the defeat of Pervaiz Elahi in the last general elections was a reply of people to his competence and eligibility and he should believe that he would not get the opportunity to enjoy the power again. He said Pervaiz Elahi was not forgetting his era of loot and plunder and tried to remain alive in politics through press conferences on different excuses.

Anti-dengue day
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) is marking International Anti-Dengue Day along with the CDGL in all towns of the city on Monday (today).Officials said a walk had been planned at Liberty Roundabout to be attended by senior CDGL officials, Turkish representatives of Albayrak & Ozpal, officials of LWMC and students.

Protesters block traffic in Lahore
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Family members and friends of a young teacher, who was shot dead in Badami Bagh a day back, gathered at Hajveri Shadi Hall Chowk on Sunday and chanted slogans against police for not arresting killers. The protesters blocked traffic for hours. The situation caused a severe traffic jam in adjoining areas. The protesters demanded immediate arrest of the accused.The victim, Haider Ali of Sattar Colony, Badami Bagh, was a teacher in a private academy near Lohaywali Pulli. He had forbidden accused Mudassar alias Chand from standing in front of the academy, to which he and his accomplices shot and wounded him and his friend Hafiz Kashif. The accused Mudassar and his accomplices fled. The injured Haider and Kashif were rushed to a local hospital where Haider died. Kashif’s condition is also said to be precarious.

Centre provided Rs22 billion less to Sindh: minister
Murad says MQM has given no reason to reject budget
KARACHI: Sindh Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah on Sunday said that a major portion of the budget receipts came from the federal government which had promised to allocate Rs421.3 billion from the federal divisible pool but had reduced Rs22 billion in straight transfers. Sindh would get Rs48 billion less from the federal government in budget estimates, he said.Addressing a post-budget press conference held at the Chief Minister’s House on Sunday, the finance minister claimed that Sindh had the lowest tax rate on services of all the provinces.
Operation Zarb-e-Azb continues with success: Baloch
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister of SAFRON, Lt General (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch said operation Zarb-e-Azb is continuing with success to flush out terrorists and maintain peace in the country. Talking to a news channel on Sunday, he said the operation was launched to control terrorism activities from all parts of the country. “Today, Pakistan has achieved success through operation Zarb-e-Azb launched a year ago by Pakistan Army to flush out terrorists from this area,” he said. The Federal Minister said the miscreants were carrying out provocative activities in all parts of the country. He said such networks of terrorists and heinous activities had been destroyed through operation Zarb-e-Azb. To a question, he said a major area of FATA has been cleared from the elements creating trouble for the people. Abdul Qadir Baloch said the operation will continue till complete eradication of the menace of terrorism.

Housing scheme owners booked in TT Singh
By our correspondent
TOBA TEK SINGH: Gojra city police Saturday registered a case against a private housing scheme owners on charges of not providing promised facilities to plot holders. Muhammad Iqbal of Nai Mandi, Gojra told court in his plea that he had purchased a plot and the colony’s owners Mumtaz, Faqeer Hussain, Azhar Hussain and Asif Ali, all of Renala Khurd (Okara), had promised provision of gas, electricity, sewerage, water, roads, mosque, school and park but later they had done nothing in this regard. The police registered a fraud case against the accused.

Govt asked to increase funds for Fata
By our correspondent
BARA: The parliamentarians from Federally Administered Tribal Area (Fata) on Sunday asked the government to increase funds in the budget for development schemes in the tribal region. Talking to reporters in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency, the lawmakers belonging to Fata, including Ghazi Gulab Jamal, Shah Jee Gul Afridi, Bilal Mohmand, Nasir Khan Afridi, Momin Khan and Taj Muhammad said the tribal areas had been suffering due to militancy for the last 10 years. “We need to focus on the development projects in the area but we are disappointed with the political administration for hurdles in the projects. Our businesses, markets and factories have been destroyed,” said one of lawmakers. They said the budget for Fata development should be increased as soon as possible. They asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to announce special development package for the tribal areas.

Alleged militant held in Kohat
By our correspondent
KOHAT: A militant was arrested near Nasratkhel village on Hangu road, sources said on Sunday. The sources said that the officials of the ANF stopped a car on the Hangu road near Nasratkhel village. They arrested a militant commander Kashmir Orakzai, belonging to Mishti tribe, who was traveling to Peshawar. The sources said that Kasmir Orakzai was not only a militant commander but also involved in smuggling goods to Central Asian States.

Youth drowns in Upper Chenab canal
By our correspondent
SIALKOT: A youth drowned in Upper Chenab Canal near Malkhanwala village in Sambrial police limits on Sunday. Muhammad Arslan, 20, of Spall village, Narowal district, was bathing in the canal to beat the heat when he drowned. On information, Rescue 1122 reached the spot and recovered his body.

Traffic wardens start performing duty in KP from today
By our correspondent
PESHAWAR: The traffic warden system is to be officially launched in the provincial capital within a few days while the cops will start performing duty from today (Monday), an official said. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police had decided to launch traffic warden system for Peshawar to end its longstanding traffic mess. The wardens will start performing duty from Ring Road Bridge on Grand Trunk Road to Hayatabad Chowk. An official said a formal launching of the warden system would bedone in a few days. Peshawar has been facing worst traffic congestion for many years due to encroachments, illegal U-turns, inadequate traffic management and improper deployment of cops on roads. The traffic situation has deteriorated due to security checkpoints as well as blockade of all roads in the cantonment.

KP government has failed, says
Federal Minister Akram Durrani
By our correspondent
BANNU: Federal Minister for Housing and Works Akram Khan Durrani has said that the defeat of the candidates of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in the local government elections shows of public ‘no confidence’ in the provincial government. Speaking at a function here, he said the provincial government had failed to come up to the expectations of the people. On the occasion, the newly-elected district councilor belonging to Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) announced support to the JUI-F in forming the district government. Akram Durrani said that the ruling party played all its’ cards to hoodwink the masses but to no avail. He said that the people of Bannu voted for the candidates of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and rejected the tsunami.

Two dacoits killed in Mirpurkhas encounter
By our correspondent
MIRPURKHAS: Two notorious dacoits were killed in a police encounter on Saturday whereas their three accomplices managed to escape. The operation against dacoits was jointly carried out by Khairpur and Mirpurkhas police in the jurisdiction of Khan Police Station late on Friday night. Soon after the encounter, ASP Khairpur Masood Bangash called a press conference. He said both of the dacoits killed in encounter were real brothers and identified them as Din Muhammad Marri alias Dinoo and Wahid Marri alias Wahidoo. “Dinoo carried a head money of Rs1m whereas Wahidoo carried Rs0.5m,” ASP Bangash told media. He also revealed that the two dacoits belonged to village Tando Masti Khan of district Khairpur. There were cases of kidnapping for ransom, murder and robberies registered against them at different police stations. He disclosed that the dacoits were using fake names and ID cards in the vicinity of Mirpurkhas, far from the reach of the Khairpur police, who were behind them for the last many months. To cover their crimes, they were doing transport business in Mirpurkhas.

No clue to missing woman, four kids
By our correspondent
LAKKI MARWAT: There is no clue to a woman and her four children for the last 11 days after they went missing in the limits of the Tajori Police Station. Abdullah, a peasant, said on Sunday that his wife, Bibi Fatima, along with four children, Bibi Halima, 6, Bibi Ayesha,4, Muhammad Israr, 5, and seven-month-old Muhammad Ibrar went out of home at Mohalla Nehrghara on June 3 and did not return home. He said that they searched the missing family members in Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Karak, Mianwali but to no avail.

Battagram villagers demand road
By our correspondent
BATTAGRAM: The residents of Hotal village on Sunday asked the government to construct a road to connect their area with the rest of the district. Talking to The News, local people, including Noor Mohammad Khan, Abid Khan Deshani and Maulana Mufti Shafi said the villagers were using a chairlift to travel to the other parts of Battagram. They said that Hotal village was located in Deshan area in Battagram and its dwellers were using the chairlift to cover the distance. The residents said many people have died in accidents while travelling in the chairlift.
Six power thieves held in Bannu
By our correspondent
BANNU: The officials of the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) and police arrested six power thieves and recovered outstanding arrears here on Sunday, sources said. The sources said that the Pesco teams and police conducted raids in several villages and arrested six persons who were using electricity through illegal means. The officials also recovered Rs3.66 million from the defaulters.

Police arrest suspect in DI Khan
By our correspondent
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A suspected person was arrested for allegedly opening fire on a police van in the Kulachi bazaar on Sunday, sources said. The sources said that the police van was patrolling in the Kulachi bazaar when a suspected motorcyclist overtook the van. The police signalled him to stop but he opened fire on the van, the sources said, adding that the police also returned the fire, leaving him injured. The police caught him and seized a pistol from him and shifted him to a hospital.

Missing youth found dead
By our correspondent
BAHAWALPUR: A missing youth was found dead near Yazman. Rab Nawaz had been missing since Thursday. On Saturday, police recovered his body tied to his motorcycle from a canal in Kudwala area. Police have shifted the body to the THQ Hospital for autopsy.

Boy crushed to death in Okara
By our correspondent
OKARA: A seven-year-old boy was killed in a road accident at Fatehpur on Sunday. Ghazanfar Ali was playing along a road when a speeding car crushed him to death. Gogera police have registered a case and started investigation.

Man killed in clash
By our correspondent
LAHORE: A 60-year-oldmanwas killed when two groups opened firing on each other in Manga Mandi on Sunday, following an old property dispute.
He was identified as Mohammad Hussain of Manga Mandi.
Police said two local groups of the area opened firing on each other over an old property dispute, as a result Mohammad Hussain received fatal wounds.
He was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.