Briefs

NAB widens probe into Lahore City scam

News Desk

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has expanded investigation into LDA Lahore City Scandal and has decided to include Kamran Kayani and five others in investigation circle. According to sources, The NAB has sent a letter to national and private banks seeking details of bank accounts of Kamran Kayani and five others. The banks have also been provided CNIC and telephone numbers of these five persons. Sources have revealed that details of the bank accounts will disclose how much financial gain was achieved by which person and when and by what means the huge amounts of money were transferred to their accounts. 

Youth commits suicide after killing girl

By our correspondent

PESHAWAR: A young man shot dead a girl and then reportedly committed a suicide in Phase 1 Hayatabad on Wednesday.Police said one Mahmood of the Patang Chowk on Ring Road entered the house of a girl, Husna and shot her dead. Later, police said, the attacker committed a suicide by shooting himself. It was learnt that the accused wanted to marry the gild but his proposal was refused by the family.

Mass awareness campaign against corruption

By our correspondent

PESHAWAR: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Information Secretary Ameerul Azeem said on Wednesday that his party would launch a mass awareness campaign against corruption across the country. Speaking at the guest hour programme of Peshawar Press Club, he said seminars would be arranged and demonstrations staged to create awareness among the masses about corruption.

Couple murdered in Mingora

By our correspondent

MINGORA: Unidentified gunmen on Wednesday forced into a house and shot dead a man and his wife while injuring his son in Kabal tehsil of Swat district, police officials said. They said the masked gunmen forced their entry into the house of one Muhammad Azeem in Bara Bandai and opened indiscriminate fire. As a result, the police said, Azeem and his wife were killed on the spot while his son Rahmat Ali sustained critical wounds in the incident. The accused managed to escape.

Bullet-riddled body found dumped

By our correspondent

MINGORA: A bullet-riddled body of a young man was found dumped in fields in Khwazakhela tehsil of Swat district, police said on Wednesday.The deceased was identified as Akhtar Ali, the resident of Khwazakhela.

Heads of schools booked
in Lakki Marwat over inadequate security

By our correspondent

LAKKI MARWAT: The police have booked heads of dozens of public sector and private schools over poor security arrangements at the respective institutions. “After the terrorist attack on the Bacha Khan University (BKU) in Charsadda, the local police visited the educational institutions across the district to check security arrangements there,” said an official. He said that during visits police officials learnt that the administration of many private and government schools had not taken adequate security measures, putting the lives of students and teachers at stake. He said that the district police authorities had also issued security guidelines to the schools but they failed to implement it in letter and spirit.

Pakistan, Iran discuss strategy against terrorists

QUETTA: Pakistan-Iran Joint Border Commission meeting was held on Wednesday, which discussed matters pertaining to a joint strategy against terrorists. Action against drug traffickers, supply of electricity to Pakistani areas from Iran, electronic surveillance system and trade were also on agenda. On this occasion, Balochistan Chief Secretary Saifullah Chatta said these kinds of meetings between two countries had an extra ordinary importance. He said Pakistan was taking all possible steps against terrorism and smuggling and stressed the need for importance of intelligence sharing. The deputy governor of Sistan-Balochistan province of Iran lauded the role of Pakistan in the war against terrorism and said terrorist and miscreant elements were the enemies of both countries. ”We will not allow our land to be used against any country,” he added.

‘Indo-Pak foreign secretaries may meet next month’

NEW DELHI: Foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan are likely to meet in the first or second week of next month, claimed Indian media. According to the NDTV reports published on Wednesday, governments of both the countries are in touch to resume the talks and finalise a date which would be announced after mutual consent, whereas the meeting is expected to be held in Islamabad. The foreign secretary-level talks due to held on January 15 and 16 were cancelled after the Pathankot attack.

Bail denied to three suspected Daesh supporters

By our correspondent

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has dismissed bail petition of three suspects charged with distributing Daesh pamphlets in Peshawar. A single bench of Justice Ikramullah Khan dismissed the bail petitions of Abdullah, Nisar and Shermad, who were arrested by the Pishtakhara Police and charged with distributing pamphlets of Daesh. The law officer submitted before the bench that the three suspects were distributing the pamphlets among the people. He requested the court not to release the accused on bail as there was threat from them to the society.

Nato missing containers case adjourned

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Wednesday adjourned hearing in the Nato missing containers case. A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali when took up the case, the deputy prosecutor told the court that the NAB has filed 97 references in the Nato containers case after gathering evidence. The court sought a progress report of the matter in the missing containers case. It adjourned the hearing sine die.

Quake jolts parts of KP, Punjab

ISLAMABAD: Earthquake jolted parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Islamabad on Wednesday. The tremors first struck Peshawar, Malakand Division, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and the adjacent areas on early Wednesday morning at 4:19am. According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre, the quake was recorded 5.2 in magnitude on the Richter scale, with the epicentre located in Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan with a depth of 309 kilometres. No loss of life was reported from any part of the country. Later in the afternoon, a quake with a magnitude of 4.0 at the Richter scale jolted parts of Punjab including Lahore, Sharaqpur and Sheikhupura. The epicentre was stated to be centred near Nankana Sahib at a depth of 10 kilometres.

22 suspects arrested in Hangu

By our correspondent

HANGU: The police arrested 22 suspected persons here on Wednesday, official sources said. They said the police launched a search operation in various areas, including Lakhti Banda, Daraband and Raisan areas and arrested 22 suspects. KOHAT: The police on Wednesday arrested 42 suspected persons, three Afghan nationals among them, during a search operation in parts of the district, sources said. The police conducted a door-to-door search operation in Hafizabad, Miniabad Colony, Kalu Banda, Ragi and other areas and made the arrests.

Saudi envoy calls on Aitzaz Ahsan

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Abdullah Marzouk Al Zahri called on Leader of the Opposition in Senate Senator Aitzaz Ahsan in his chamber here at the Parliament House on Wednesday and discussed matters of mutual concern and importance. Regional as well as global situation came under discussion in the meeting. Recent developments in South Asia and prospects of peace in the Middle East were focused upon in the meeting and the role of Pakistan as an important country of the region was discussed.

Gunmen injures cop in Peshawar

By our correspondent

PESHAWAR: A police constable was shot and wounded in the limits of Khazana on Wednesday. Police said Constable Manzoor Shah of the Mardan Police was on his way to duty when armed men opened fire on him near the Northern Bypass and left him injured. SSSP Abbas Majeed Marwat said the incident was linked to highway robbery.