Briefs...

Explosives defused in Kurram
Our correspondent
SADDA: The security forces foiled a terrorism bid by defusing explosives in Kurram Agency, official sources said on Sunday.They said that militants had placed explosives in the fields near the river in Khar Killay in lower parts of Kurram Agency.Villagers spotted the explosives and informed the security forces. The security forces and bomb disposal unit (BDU) officials reached the spot and defused the explosives.

JUI-F vows to protect seminaries
Bureau report
PESHAWAR: The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter has vowed to resist any act against the sanctity and integrity of madaris in the wake of 21st Amendment, asking the government to stop harassment of religious scholars and students of such institutions.A meeting of provincial executive council of the JUI-F was held at party’s provincial secretariat, with JUI-F provincial chief Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan in the chair. Naseeb said that the government had started unnecessary investigations and interference in the affairs of Madaris (religious institutions) after the 21st Amendment. He warned that they would launch a countrywide protest movement.

ANP activists join PTI
Our correspondent
NOWSHERA: Office-bearers of the Awami National Party (ANP) in Amankot joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday.Speaking at a public meeting in Amankot Union Council, ANP office-bearers Saifullah Khalid, Taj Muhammad, Jalaluddin and others announced joining PTI.

KPIT Board gets new member
Bureau report
PESHAWAR: Dr Faisal Farooq Khan, director Institute of Integrative Biology at CECOS University Peshawar, has been appointed member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology (IT) Board for a term of three years.A statement on Sunday said that Dr Faisal Khan was a leading member of the technology community in KP and a driving force in starting up ecosystem in the city. He holds a master’s and a PhD from the University of Oxford.“Dr Faisal is the youngest member of the board which says a lot about the level of his intellect,” said Prof Dr Azzamul Asar, dean of Engineering, CECOS University.

Lakki villages get 14 tube-wells
Our correspondent
LAKKI MARWAT: Work on installation of tube-wells has been completed in 14 villages which will help resolve the problem of shortage of drinking water, member provincial Assembly (MPA) Malik Noor Saleem Marwat on Sunday.Talking to this correspondent, he said that the rural population was confronted with numerous problems and that he was making all-out efforts to address them. “The former lawmakers from the district did not pay any heed to resolve the water problems,” he alleged.