SWABI, June 26: The provincial government has allocated Rs20 million for the construction of eight-km-long Zaida-Topi road, officials told Dawn on Thursday.

Sources in the communication and works department say the construction of the road will start soon to facilitate travelling to the people.

DEMAND: A jirga of Sikandari and Gohati areas demanded of the NWFP government to repair Gohati-Sikandari road.

The jirga members alleged that the road was damaged due to the negligence of the department concerned.

ARREST: Police have arrested two men who robbed a contractor of Rs25,000 while two of their accomplices managed to escape.

The contractor, Khushdil Zeb, was going to a bricks kiln when the robbers stopped him and deprived him of the cash.

Mr Zeb immediately informed the police which launched search for the criminals, arrested two of them— Zari Dad and Sherzada— and recovered the money.

MMA: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MNAs Maulana Khalil Ahmad and Mohammad Usman have said that the federal government will not be allowed to officially recognize Israel.

Participating in the rabita programme of Abaseen Union of Journalists here on Thursday Maulana Khalil said it was not the first time that Washington had pressurized Pakistan to recognize Israel.

He said that when the first prime minister of Pakistan Liaquat Ali Khan visited the US even he was told by the then American president to recognize Israel and get enormous aid in return.

Mr Usman said the MMA leadership had already declared that if the government officially recognized Israel, they would launch a countrywide protest.

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