Briefs...

Police arrest nine outlaws, recover over 20kg of charas
RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi Police in their crackdowns against anti-social elements have netted nine lawbreakers and recovered over 20 kilograms charas, two pistols 30-bore with eight rounds and stolen mobile phones from the possession of an accused.
According to Rawalpindi police spokesman, Waris Khan Police held Naseer for having 20 kilograms charas while Banni police netted Shakeel with 230 grams charras.Another accused Akmal was arrested and sent behind the bars for possessing 560 grams charas. Race Course police nabbed Rohail and recovered a 30-bore pistol with three rounds. Gujar Khan police also recovered a 30-bore pistol with five rounds. Waris Khan police booked Sulman, Talha, Arslan and Adil and recovered stolen mobile phones.

PM should take lead not hide
behind institutions: Kaira
By our correspondent
LALAMUSA: PPP Information Secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira on Sunday said corruption was not a new issue and had been discussed even before the creation of Pakistan too, adding that Quaid-e-Azam , in a speech prior to independence on August 14, said that he would not tolerate corruption and nepotism in the country. Talking to media persons at Dera Kaira, he said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should take lead to fight corruption, terrorism and criminal elements in Sindh and Karachi while taking decisions on his own instead of hiding behind institutions.
Search operation launchedin Multan
By our correspondent
MULTAN: Security forces conducted search operation in cantonment area, including residential localities like Qasim Bela, and the neighbourhoods around Masoom Shah Road on Saturday, police sources said.The operation was conducted jointly by Pakistan army and police in collaboration with intelligence personnel, during which three suspects were arrested on over failing to produce authentic identification documents. According to police, the major objective behind the operation was to surveying the areas as well as checking suspects and property record, especially rented properties. They said the search operation would continue till the clearance of all the localities.

Two killed in Charsadda firing incidents
By our correspondent
CHARSADDA: Two persons were killed and two women sustained injuries in separate firing incidents in the district on Sunday, official sources said.They said that Mubarakzeb and Aurangzeb forced their entry into a house in the limits of Tangi Police Station and opened fire, killing Sabir on the spot while his wife Fozia Bibi and another woman sustained injuries. The accused managed to flee the scene.Meanwhile, one Noor Habib was on his way home when Jan Sher allegedly fired at him in the limits of Sardheri Police Station, killing him on the spot. Motive behind the killing was stated to be a property dispute. The police registered separate cases and started an investigation.

Two sisters drown in Mansehra while rescuing child
By our correspondent
MANSEHRA: Two sisters drowned when they jumped in River Kunhar to rescue a child in Garihabibullah on Sunday. The police said Rukhsana Bibi, her sister Maria and their cousin Shamsa Bibi had gone to the river along with their uncle Mohammad Naeem to beat the heat.Haider Ali, 10, son of Rukhsana Bibi, was playing at the river side and suddenly slipped into the river. The child’s mother and his aunt Maria jumped into the gushing water to rescue him but they drowned.The local people, who were witnessing the entire episode, jumped into the river and rescued Haider Ali.Later, the bodies of both the sisters were also recovered and handed over to the family.The police, after registering first information report, started an investigation into the case.

Three motorcyclists die in Lahore while performing stunts
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Three youths lost their lives when their bikes collided with each other while performing stunts in the North Cantonment area on Sunday. The three boys were identified as Abdul Rehman, Ali Raza and Ali Haider. It was reported that the three boys were performing stunts on their bikes near Ring Road when their bikes collided with each other, as a result, all the three sustained fatal injuries. They were rushed to a local hospital where they died. A youth identified as Saleem also received injuries in the same accident. He was admitted to a hospital.

Shops, godown gutted in Abbottabad inferno
By Syed Kosar Naqvi
ABBOTTABAD: At least four shops, including a godown of cotton, were burnt to ashes while a small portion of City Police Station building was damaged after fire erupted in a local market here on Sunday. The fire, which broke out in the cotton and bed quilt shop owned by one Jehangir Khan in the thickly populated area of the city, spread to a three-storey building. However, the situation was controlled after efforts for three hours by fire brigades of Municipal Committee and Cantonment Board. The police and volunteers also helped the rescue staff in the operation. Police Officer Aziz Afridi reached the spot and removed all the record of city police with ammunition and other material to safer place and supervised the rescue operation. Later, Provincial Minister for Information Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani, Abbottabad district police officer (DPO) Sher Akbar Khan and Assistant Commissioner Mir Ozgan along with other officials visited the site and witnessed the rescue operation.

Smuggling bid foiled, three held in Karak
By our correspondent
KARAK: The police Sunday claimed to have foiled a bid to smuggle drug and arrested three inter-provincial drug smugglers, including a woman. Station House Officer of Yaqoob Khan Shaheed Police Station, Muhammad Yousaf, along with a heavy contingent of police while acting on a tip off, blocked the Takht-e-Nusrati-Darratang road and stopped a suspected car. The police recovered 10kg hashish from the hidden cavities of the car (AAL616 B) and also arrested three alleged drug smugglers. Those held were identified as Imran, a resident of Bannu, Hussan Pari, wife of Mirqad Ayaz, of Bannu, and Gul Nazar, a resident of Takht-e-Nusrati. Yaqoob Khan Shaheed Police Station registered the case. The accused were shifted to some unknown location for investigations.

Tribal journalist passes away after protracted illness
By our correspondent
LANDIKOTAL: President of the Darra Adamkhel-Kohat Press Club Sultan Habib has passed away. He had been infected with colon cancer five years ago and he sold all his valuables and property for his treatment. He died at the age of 49 at a hospital on Sunday. The funeral prayer would be offered at 8:30am (today) and he would be laid to rest in the Sheeni Killay graveyard. Fateha would be held at Haji Meraj Zor Killay in Darra Adamkhel. He is survived by three sons and a widow.Family members and journalists of Darra Adamkhel told The News by phone that they approached the government and media organisations to provide financial assistance for best possible medical treatment of their colleague but their request was not entertained.

Two criminals killed in Lahore encounter
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Punjab Highway Patrol (PHP) killed two criminals and arrested the third one after an encounter in Sheikhupura District on Sunday. Patrolling Post Khanpur, Sheikhupura received information that three armed persons snatched cash, mobile phone and ATM card from a constable Rizwan Iqbal. PHP team set up a picket and attempted to stop them but they opened fire on the PHP team which also retaliated in the same fashion. As a result, two culprits, who were later identified as Chand, a resident of Jandiala Sher Khan and Shoaib of Rehmanpura, died on the spot while their accomplice Hussain of Shahdara sustained injuries. The PHP team recovered three pistols, 27 bullets, cash Rs17,690, five cell phones, a bike and snatched belongings of PHP official from his possession.

Man axed to death in Oghi
By our correspondent
MANSEHRA: A man was killed in an honour-related incident while a student drowned in Siren River in two different incidents in the district on Sunday. The first incident happened in Jugar Bandi area of Oghi where Mohammad Naseer axed to death Mohammad Fayyaz. Shamshad Bibi told police that Mohammad Naseer killed her son Muhammad Fayyaz with the help of his other family members. The accused in his statement before the investigation team said that the victim used to tease his wife in his absence. In another incident, Mohammad Waseem, a student of grade 9, drowned in the Siren River. The local divers fished out the body and handed it over to the family.
Three Nadra officials booked
By our correspondent
TOBA TEK SINGH: City police on Saturday registered a case against three Nadra officials for allegedly disappearing the CNIC of a lawyer. Chaudhry Nasar Iqbal advocated reported to the police that he went to the Nadra office to get his wife’s CNIC but forgot to bring a token receipt. He said that Nadra officials Kamran, Waheed and Amer asked him to give them his own CNIC and to take it back when he would produce the receipt. He did so to get the wife’s CNIC but when he went again to the Nadra office to get back his CNIC, the officials told him that his card had been lost. Police are investigating.

Passenger held at Lahore airport
By our correspondent
LAHORE: FIA Immigration at Allama Iqbal Airport Sunday claimed to have arrested a passenger on a charge of bringing illegal gateway exchanges from UK. Reportedly, the passenger was identified as Zafar Asfand. He was travelling to Lahore from UK when he was intercepted by FIA Immigration. The FIA officials recovered gateway exchanges from him. The FIA officials arrested a customs official for allegedly clearing Zafar’s luggage for taking 200 Pounds as bribe.