Briefs...

KP governor committed to developing Fata: PML-N leaders
By our correspondent
BARA: The PML-N, Fata chapter, leaders on Sunday said Governor Sardar Mahtab was committed to developing tribal areas. Talking to a group of reporters, PML-N Fata chapter leaders including Said Wali Shah Afridi, Rahat Yousaf, Zar Khan Safi, Malik Spin Gul and Abdul Karim Abid said that the party leaders and activists of the tribal regions were satisfied with the performance of Sardar Mahtab. “Some elements are conspiring against the governor. But we will foil all such conspiracies,” Said Wali Shah said.He said that the governor had announced Rs1 billion for the Fata youths under Akhuwat Rozgaar Scheme while Rs 500million had been released. He said the governor had also announced development projects and provided basic facility to the affected tribesmen.

‘Modi govt policies damaged India’s secular image’
By our correspondent
NANKANA SAHIB: UK Sikh Yatrees group leader Sardar Ottar Singh has said that the Modi government policies have damaged India’s secular image across the world. Talking to The News at Gurdwara Tambu Sahib here on Sunday, he said that life had become tough for all minorities living in India. He said that most of the sitting parliamentarians of the BJP belonged to the RSS. He said that the Sikhs would not tolerate desecration of their holy book Guru Granth Sahib. He alleged that Parkash Singh Badal government in Indian Punjab was busy in corruption.

Martyred Rangers personnel buried in Hafizabad
By our correspondent
HAFIZABAD: A Rangers personnel, who was martyred in Karachi, was laid to rest with full military honours in a graveyard at Lakhia village on Saturday. A large number of people attended Namaz-e-Janaza of Shaheed Rangers personnel Shahadat Ali Bhatti. He was martyred by the terrorists when he was performing his duty outside a mosque in Karachi on Friday. He has joined the Pakistan Rangers about 10 years ago. His father has died about two years ago. His mother, brothers and sisters said that they are proud of Shahadat Ali.

Rights demanded for transgenders
By our correspondent
PESHAWAR: The transgenders association and civil society organisations have expressed concern over what they referred to as a failure of the UN agencies and government authorities to work for the wellbeing of the transgenders and sought emergency relief for them. The transgenders and civil society organisations arranged a protest outside Peshawar Press Club recently and addressed a joint press conference to highlight their rights . Qamar Naseem, a civil rights activist, said that the policies of the UN agencies and government authorities were completely silent about transgenders and no relief was provided to them. He said the 12 agencies of the UN had issued a statement about the rights of shemale community, but no steps were taken for the protection of their rights at local level.

Two killed in Pakpattan road accident
By our correspondent
PAKPATTAN: Two people, including a widow, were killed in separate road accidents here. In the first incident, widow Hakim Bibi of Chak 84/D was crossing Pakpattan-Sahiwal Road when a bus crushed her to death. Police have registered a case against the bus driver. In the second incident, 12-year-old Muhammad Husnain of Chak Jewan Shah was on his way when a car crushed him to death near Baghwala Khu on Arifwala Road.

Schools inaugurated in Lakki Marwat
By our correspondent
LAKKI MARWAT: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) MPA Malik Noor Saleem Khan Sunday inaugurated schools in Titterkhel, Ghazikhel and Umar Titterkhel localities on Sunday. Besides officials of communication and works department, local elders, JUI-F activists and a large number villagers were present on the occasion. The newly-established Government Primary School for Boys in Titterkhel, Pprimary School for Girls in Ghazikjhel and a boy’s middle school in Umar Titterkhel will start functioning after appointment of teaching staff.

Case registered for killing seminary student
From our correspondent
TOBA TEK SINGH: City police on Sunday registered a case against unidentified people for killing a 14-year-old girl student, who was found dead mysteriously in a seminary on Waryamwala Road. Ghulam Abbas of Jhang reported to City police that his sister Zohra was studying and staying in the seminary for the last seven years. He said that he received information that his sister was murdered by someone in the seminary. Police have started investigation.

Fertiliser seized at Torkham border
By Ashrafuddin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: Authorities on Sunday foiled a bid of fertilisers’ smuggling to Afghanistan and arrested one person, official sources said. During routine checking, an Afghanistan-bound truck was flagged down at Torkham border. The Khassadar personnel recovered 375 bags of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser, which was concealed under cement bags and being illegally smuggled to Afghanistan.The trucker, identified as Sharifullah, resident of Ningarhar province of Afghanistan, was arrested and sent to Landikotal lockup for investigation.

Seven held in operation in Phoolnagar villages
By our correspondent
PHOOLNAGAR: Police arrested seven accused, including two proclaimed offenders, during a search operation in Hanjraan Kalan and Paseen villages on Sunday. Two DSPs, five SHOs, four Elite Force teams, CIA officials and 120 policemen took part in the operation. During the operation, police recovered four illegal rifles and a pistol, besides arresting seven accused, including two POs. Police also interrogated 65 suspects and thoroughly searched 78 houses, besides impounding 18 suspicious motorcycles. About 350 people were also questioned during the operation. Meanwhile, Kasur District Police Officer Ali Nasir Rizvi said that the operation was conducted after the reports that some notorious people had started their illegal business in the villages. He said that the operation would be expanded to all the areas of Kasur district to eliminate criminals.

PTI leader’s interim bail extended
By our correspondent
BUREWALA: Special Anti-Terrorism Court No-1 Multan Judge Muhammad Akram Saturday extended interim bail of PTI leader Muhammad Sajid Sharif until December 28th.The ATC extended bail of Muhammad Sajid Sharif, his brother and others and asked them to join the investigation. On the eve of local government elections on October 31st in Burewala the PML-N candidate Sardar Faiz Dogar and his supporters were heading to their homes in the form, of a rally when PTI leader Sajid Sharif and others opened firing on them, leaving Faiz Muhammad Dogar’s son Shahbaz Ahmed and others injured critically.

Over 24 PTI workers booked for jubilant firing
By our correspondent
TOBA TEK SINGH: Sadr police on Sunday registered a case against more than 24 activists of the PTI on the charges of jubilant firing and taking out a rally at Chak 388/JB. According to the FIR, the PTI workers took out a rally after Mehr Yasin Mumtaz won the slot of union council chairman. The FIR also said that the accused persons attacked the office of defeated candidate Niaz Ahmad of the PML-N and damaged it and harassed women and children. The case has been registered under Sections 148, 149, 440 and 452 of the PPC.

PPP leader Amin Fahim’s death condoled
By our correspondent
BUREWALA: The PPP local leaders and workers Saturday expressed their great grief over the demise of the party leader Makhdoom Amin Faheem. PPP’s former MNA Natasha Daultana, ex-minister Chaudhry Mahmood Akhtar Ghumman, former MPA Malik Nosher Khan Langrial, Nawab Shahryar Khakwani, Rao Faryad Ali Khan, Col (retd) Rao Abid Ali Khan, Ahsin Sardar Saleem Bhatti, Madam Shagufta Chaudhry, Captain Muhammad Ismail and others said Faheem was a great loyalist and admirer of the Bhutto family and he rendered a great services in the absence of the party leadership.

Youth killed for love marriage
By our correspondent
PAKPATTAN: A man with his three accomplices killed his son-in-law for contracting love marriage with his daughter at Chak 63/EB. Shahid Bashir Gujjar of Multan had contracted love marriage with Radha Ayub d/o Muhammad Ayub of Chak about two years ago. After the marriage, Ayub never met his daughter Radha. Some days ago, Ayub with his cousin Shahid and two others contacted his daughter Radha and invited her and her husband to their house. Accepting the invitation, Shahid Bashir with his brother Ayub Gujjar and others came to the house of his father-in-law Muhammad Ayub. Muhammad Ayub took his son-in-law Shahid Gujjar to a room where he along with his cousin Shahid and two others allegedly strangled him after giving him intoxicant. Police have registered a murder case.