Briefs...

Three officials remanded in KP
Ehtesab Commission’s custody
By our correspondent
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission on Thursday got 14-day physical remand of three officials from the Ehtesab Court. Ehtesab Court judge Subhan Sher announced the verdict after the prosecutors, Lajbar Khan and Qazi Babar Irshad, requested 14 days remand of the accused including Director General Mines and Minerals Dr Liaqat Ali, Deputy Director EPI Dr Janbaz Afridi and Health Department’s storekeeper Zahid Ali. The Ehtesab Commission Wednesday arrested Dr Liaqat Ali for his involvement in illegal mining.

18 criminals detained in Gujranwala
By our correspondent
GUJRANWALA: Police Wednesday detained 18 criminals during a search operation in different localities. Police under the supervision of the SP Civil Lines arrested some 18 criminals from Kot Ishaque, Yusafpura and Jhangi localities. The police searched 41 houses situated in different police stations’ limits. One DSP, two inspectors, 32 constables and two teams of Elite Force took part in the search operation.

No casualty in Bannu blast
By our correspondent
BANNU: A bomb blast damaged the residence of a former nazim in Norar area of the district early Thursday morning. However, no casualty was reported. The police said the blast damaged the boundary wall of the house of Rashidullah Khan in the limits of Miriyan Police Station. The police and other security personnel launched a search operation in the area after the blast, but no arrests were made.

Five killed as two groups clash in Hangu
By our correspondent
HANGU: Five persons were killed and a passer-by sustained injuries as two groups traded fire in Doaba tehsil in the district, police said on Thursday. They said that two groups opened fire on each other after an exchange of harsh words in Darsamand area. As a result, the police said, three brothers from one group and two brothers from the other party were killed on the spot. A passer-by Sultan Wali sustained bullet injuries. The dead were identified as Muhammad Ghani, Muhammad Gulay, Eid Badshah, Sher Dil and Saifullah. The injured was shifted to a hospital in Peshawar owing to his critical condition.

New body of Nawabshah Press Club elected
By our correspondent
NAWABSHAH: The office bearers for the year 2015-2016 of Nawabshah Press Club were elected here on Thursday.Muhammad Anwar Shaikh was elected as president while Muhammad Hakim Khaskheli as vice president, Muhammad Saleh Biloo general secretary, Aslam Azmi joint secretary and Rashid Zia Qureshi was elected as treasurer. Aslam Munir, Abdul Qadir Baloch, Mir Muhammad Khaskheli, Muhammad Farooq Vayani, Arshad Shaikh and Abdul Khalique were elected as member working committee.

Display of arms in Landikotal banned
By our correspondent
LANDIKOTAL: Elders of Shinwari tribes and local administration have signed an agreement, which has banned display of all kinds of arms during Ramazan. In this connection, a grand jirga of all Shinwari sub-tribes was held in Ashkhel village, which was attended by a large number of elders, Maliks, officials of the Landikotal administration and local journalists.Speaking on the occasion, Assistant Political Agent Muhammad Tayyab Abdullah said that he welcomed the truce. He said it would ensure peace in holy month of Ramazan.

Two killed in Charsadda
By our correspondent
CHARSADDA: A woman and a minor girl were killed in separate incidents in the district on Thursday, official sources said. They said that one Hamidullah allegedly fired at his sister Tayyaba Bibi after an exchange of harsh words, killing her on the spot. The accused fled the scene. Meanwhile, Saifullah was cleaning his pistol in the limits of Nisatta Police Station when it went off mistakenly and the bullet hit his seven-year-old daughter Saba Noor. She died on the spot.
Two die in Swat accident
By our correspondent
MINGORA: Two persons were killed in a road accident in Barikot tehsil in Swat district on Thursday. Police sources said that one Muhammad Khan along with his nephew Jamal Khan was on his way home in Parrai area when a passenger van hit his motorcycle, killing them on the spot. The police arrested the driver and started investigation after registering a case.

Cop shot dead in Bannu
By our correspondent
BANNU: Unidentified persons shot dead a cop in the limits of the Cantonment Police Station on Thursday. Asmatullah of the Elite Force and his brother were on their way in Mamishkhel area when unidentified persons opened fire on them. Asmatullah died on the spot while his brother and another person sustained injuries.

Teachers, district account
officer beat each other in Sukkur
By our correspondent
SUKKUR: Officials of the District Accounts Office, Larkana, and primary schoolteachers beat each other in a brawl over the matter of time scale bills on Thursday. Police arrested two teachers and lodged an FIR against them. Sources said that two primary schoolteachers Waheed Ali Abro and Abdul Waheed Channa went the office of Assistant Accountant Nawaz Memon for payment of time scale bills but they exchanged hot words and beat each other. The treasury administration informed the police about the incident.Later, the SHO Civil Lines Police reached the site and arrested both primary schoolteachers and lodged an FIR against four accused among Waheed Abro and Abdul Waheed Channa. Talking to media persons, Waheed Abro said that he visited the District Accounts Office to get time scale bills but Assistant Accountant Muhammad Nawaz Memon demanded bribe amounting to half amount of bills.

Relatives of slain DI Khan trader continue protest
By our Correspondent
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The relatives of a trader, who was killed a day earlier in a clash between two traders groups in Gomal Trade Market in Dera city, continued the protest for the second consecutive day on Thursday. The relatives of the deceased trader, Bilal, and members of the Miani tribe staged protest and blocked the roads at various points. The commercial centres also remained closed in the city amid uncertain situation. The police resorted to fire shoots into the air and arrested several protesters to bring the situation under control.

LHC to hear Ayyan’s bail plea today
By our Correspondent
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court Judge, Justice Abdul Sami Khan will hear on Friday (today) a petition of fashion model Ayyan Ali seeking bail and challenging proceedings being held against her by a Special Customs Courts (Rawalpindi) on money laundering charges. Earlier on Thursday, petition was fixed for hearing before Justice Mahmood Maqbool Bajwa. However, the model’s counsel Sardar Latif Khan Khosa asked the judge to refer the appeal to chief justice for its hearing before a bench designated for customs related cases. He said since Justice Abdul Sami Khan was member of the bench for customs cases, the instant appeal should be fixed before him. Justice Bajwa accepted the request and sent the petition to chief justice for its fixing before the bench concerned the same day. After 2pm, Advocate Khosa and his associates were waiting for the hearing of the petition in the courtroom of Justice Khan. However, the court official announced that the judge would take up petition today (Friday).

One killed in Swat accident
By our Correspondent
MINGORA: A man was killed and seven others, including a minor girl, sustained injuries in a road accident in Madian in Swat district on Thursday, official sources said. They said that a pickup-truck was heading to Madian area when the driver lost control and the vehicle plunged into a ravine. As a result, Shah Khan died on the spot while seven other persons sustained injuries.