Briefs

 

Amn Mushaira held in Lower Dir

By our correspondent

TIMERGARA: Dir Pashto Adabi Kalturi Jirga organised Sunday “Amn Mushaira” in collaboration with Dir Art Cultural Heritage Advocacy and Research Council. Poets from Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Bajaur Agency, Batkhela and Mardan attended the event, which was presided over by noted Pashto poet Salim Raz. Assistant Commissioner Timergara Muhammad Ayaz Khan, ANP Lower Dir president Hussain Shah Yusufzai, tehsil councillor Saifullah Khan, Shah Faisal advocate and a large number of locals were present on the occasion. Aftab Gulbanr and Naeem Mukhlis from Mardan, Aslam Salik and Professor Iqbal Shakir from Batkhela, Luqman Kaimoon and Said Rawan Majboor presented their fresh poems and verses regarding peace and received appreciation from the audience.

 

Pesco issues final notices to defaulters

By our correspondent

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) has issued final notices to the defaulting domestic, commercial, industrial and agriculture power consumers in the Hazara circle for payment of Rs 249 million dues. A press release said Pesco had geared up the drive for recovery of dues throughout the province. It said through notices the defaulters had been asked to pay dues or else their names would be sent to the National Accountability Bureau under the National Accountability Ordinance 1999.

 

Tree plantation drive launched in Upper Dir

By our correspondent

DIR: Minister for Local Government Inayatullah on Sunday launched the spring plantation drive by planting a sapling in the lawn of Government Girls School in Sundrawal village. Speaking on the occasion, he said the district government had been asked to work out a draft to ban the use of wood in construction of official buildings, including schools and hospitals as well as private commercial buildings. He appealed to the people to help the government and Forest Department in discouraging illegal cutting of trees and timber smuggling. District Forest Officer, Dir Division, Syed Moqtada Shah said that 10.5 million  saplings would be planted by December 2016 in Upper Dir under the provincial government’s billion-tree tsunami programme.

 

CPEC to usher new era of prosperity, says Akram Durrani

By our correspondent

TAKHT BHAI: Federal Minister for Housing and Works Akram Khan Durrani on Sunday said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project would usher in a new era of development and prosperity in the country. He was speaking at the Mufti Mahmood Conference at the Darul Uloom-i-Islamia Arabia here. JUI-F’s Senator Maulana Attaur Rehman, former senator Maulana Rahat Hussain and others also spoke on the occasion.  Akram Durrani criticised the PTI head Imran Khan and said the sit-in staged by his party had caused eight months delay in launching of the project.

 

17 more arrested in Swat search

By our correspondent

MINGORA: The security forces on Saturday arrested another 17 suspected persons during search operation in Charbagh tehsil of Swat district, police officials said.They said that a total of 67 suspected persons had been arrested in the door-to-door search operation launched after the target killing of a cop of special police force Shah Parsan inside a mosque in Charbagh some three days ago. Meanwhile, the police seized arms and cartridges in Kabal tehsil of Swat district, official sources said. The police recovered three Kalashnikovs and cartridges.

 

Mobile snatchers arrested in Lakki

By our correspondent

LAKKI MARWAT: The police on Sunday claimed to have busted a gang of robbers and arrested its three-members involved in street crimes in Naurang town. A police official said that taking notice of mobile phones snatching incident near Kotka Atlas village, a police party of Shaheed Asmatullah Khan Khattak Police Station chased the culprits and arrested them. He said the arrested robbers included Riaz, Muhammad Ali and Parvez. They had snatched phones from Rashidullah.

Non-arrest of fraudsters

Man attempts suicide outside Gujranwala CPO Office

By our correspondent

GUJRANWALA: A man attempted suicide against the police for not arresting accused persons involved in a fraud case outside the CPO Office here on Saturday.Abdul Rauf of Dhulley said that he sold his house to accused Mehmood Butt and Asif Butt but they gave him a bogus cheque, which was dishonoured by the concerned bank. He said that he contacted with the Model Town police for action against the accused persons but the police did not take action even after passing of four years. Later, Abdul Rauf along with his father, wife and children reached outside the CPO Office and attempted suicide by self-immolation. However, the police foiled his bid. Later, on the assurance of the police that action would be taken against the accused persons, he ended his protest.

 

Karak Nazim suspends education

official over alleged corruption

By our correspondent

KARAK: District Nazim Dr Umer Daraz Khattak has suspended the assistant district officer (education) on charges of corruption and misuse of authority and asked the district education officer to conduct an enquiry against him.  A delegation of All Primary Teachers Association, Karak, led by its district president Javed Iqbal Khattak, met the district nazim and briefed him about the alleged embezzlement done by Assistant District Officer (ADO) Abdullah Khan Khattak of Ahmadi Banda circle in the purchase of solar systems. The delegation also submitted an application against the ADO with the district nazim.  The district nazim suspended the ADO and asked District Education Officer Abdus Salam Marwat to conduct a departmental enquiry against him. The delegation also complained that the police were harassing heads of schools in the name of security and had given 15-day ultimatum to them for making appropriate security arrangements of their institutions. They added that the schools, particularly the primary ones, had no funds to install close circuit television cameras and raise the boundary walls.

By-election in PS-76 on March 3

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission has decided to hold by-election in PS 76 (Old Dadu) on March 3.According to spokesman of the EC, nomination papers will be filed from February 8 to 9, whereas verification process will be completed on February 11. The candidates can file their appeals to the tribunals against decisions of the returning officers until February 13, and the tribunals would decide on their appeals until February 16.The candidates can withdraw their nomination papers until February 17, and the next day the final list of candidates will be published. EC is holding bye election in PS 76 after the judgment of the Supreme Court in civil appeal filed by Asghar Ali Sheikh against Liaqat Ali Jatoi.

 

Groom held for underage marriage

By our correspondent

BAHAWALPUR: A 36-year-old groom was arrested for contracting second marriage with an 11-year-old girl at Chak 12/BC on Friday night.Accused groom Khadim’s first wife had died and Allah Ditta, brother of the minor girl, agreed to contract his sister’s marriage with Khadim. In return, it was decided that Allah Ditta would marry with the daughter of Khadim. On the day of the incident, when all was set for marriage, a Baghdadul Jadeed police team led by SHO Irfan Akbar and a Child Protection Office team raided and arrested Khadim and Allah Ditta. However, the Nikah Khawan managed to flee. Later, the police recovered the minor girl from a room. The police have registered a case under the Child Marriage Act while the minor girl was handed over to the Child Protection Bureau.

 

PMA to observe strike against doctor’s murder today

By our correspondent

MALAKWAL: Dr Shahid Nazir, who was murdered in his hospital, was laid to rest in a graveyard at Badshahpur, some 4km from here on Sunday. A large number of people, including MNA Mumtaz Ahmad, MNA Nasir Iqbal Bosal, MPA Shafqat Mehmood Gondal and former minister Nazar Muhammad Gondal, attended his funeral prayers. Meanwhile, PMA leader Dr Manzoor said that the PMA would observe complete strike in the district today. He said that all government and private hospitals would remain closed while a rally would be taken out from the Mandi Bahauddin DHQ Hospital up to the press club. He demanded early arrest of the accused. On Saturday, Dr Shahid Nazir was present in his hospital when two unidentified men entered and shot him dead.

 

UAE minister returns to Cholistan desert

By our correspondent

BAHAWALPUR: Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Finance Minister Sheikh Hamadan bin Rashed Al-Maktoum returned to Cholistan desert to continue his private visit with his family members and friends. He had flown to Dubai on Saturday to attend a high-level meeting there.

 

Dacoit killed in encounter in Kasur

By our correspondent

KASUR: A dacoit was killed in an encounter with villagers and police on Sresar Road, Pattoki. Police received information that five robbers were robbing the people of cash and valuables by setting up a barricade on the road. In the meantime, some villagers with weapons reached the spot and opened fire on the dacoits. Later, police also reached the spot and took part in the encounter. After the shootout, a dacoit was found dead while his accomplices escaped. Police, however, claimed that the dacoit was killed by the firing of his accomplices.

 

Senate ex-deputy chairman laid to rest

By our correspondent

KASUR: Senate former deputy chairman Muhammad Ali Khan was laid to rest at Khai Hattar village on Sunday. A large number of people, including Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Iqbal Khan, MNAs Rana Hayat Khan, Sh Waseem and Suleman Haneef, MPAs Yaqoob Nadeem Sethi, Naeem Safdar Ansari and Rana Ishaq and former district nazim Rana Imtiaz, attended his funeral.

 

Four workers injured in Gujranwala

By our correspondent

GUJRANWALA: Four workers of a sweet shop received burns at Wapda Town on Sunday. Sajjad, Zain, Sadaqat and Hassan were busy working in the sweet shop when suddenly boiling oil fell accidentally on them. As a result, all four workers received severe burns and rushed to a hospital.

 

Landlord stabbed to death

By our correspondent

HAFIZABAD: A landlord was stabbed to death at Kot Hashmat on Sunday. Some unidentified accused entered the house of Malik Nasir Hussain and stabbed him to death. Police have started investigation. Meanwhile, Muhammad Asad attempted suicide by self-immolation over a domestic dispute at Sukheke Mandi.

 

Youth killed by dacoits

By our correspondent

PAKPATTAN: A youth was shot dead by dacoits near Chak 10-KB on Sunday. Muhammad Ramzan, s/o Muhammad Ameer, tried to catch dacoits who were looting a man on a road. The dacoits tried to flee but Ramzan and other villagers chased them. At this, the dacoits shot at and injured Ramzan. He was being shifted to the DHQ Hospital but he died on the way.

 

Mechanic gunned down in Pakpattan

By our correspondent

PAKPATTAN: A bus mechanic was shot dead by four unidentified people over a minor dispute at Mohallah Shamsabad, Arifwala. Muhammad Arshad was a mechanic at the bus stand.  Aslam and Naveed of Mohallah Shamsabad told Arshad’s father Manzoor Ahmad Jatt that four unidentified people shot him dead after a quarrel. Police have registered a case and started investigation. 

DHQ Hospital MLC register stolen

By our correspondent

OKARA: Thieves stole a medico-legal certificate register from the DHQ Hospital. Hospital technician Najaf Ali reported to A-Division police that some thieves stole the MLC register to tamper with the record. Police have registered a case.