February 25, 2008	Monday	Safar 17, 1429

SHIKARPUR, Feb 24: The candidates for NA-202 Shikarpur-II and PS-12 Shikarpur-IV have received notices to appear before the Election Commission of Pakistan in Islamabad on March 1.

PPP candidates for NA-202 Aftab Shaban Mirani and for PS-12 Agha Arsalan Khan have claimed in a complaint to the Election Commission that their rival candidates, Dr Mohammad Ibrahim Jatoi and Mir Abid Jatoi, were involved in rigging during the polls in the constituencies on Feb 18.

Entertaining the applications, the ECP fixed the date for hearing the case for which notices had been issued to all candidates for NA-202 and PS-12 to be present before the commission on March 1.

The candidates have been informed in the notices that the case would be decided in their absence if they failed to appear before the commission on the fixed date.

WORKERS INJURED: Four activists of PPP and PML-Q were injured in an armed clash at the Lakhi bus stand in the jurisdiction of Lakhi police station on Sunday.

Reports said that the PPP workers, hailing from Pir Jo Goth, were returning after offering fateha at the grave of Ms Benazir Bhutto.

When they stopped at a hotel at the Lakhi bus stop a fight broke out between them and the PML-Q workers there.

Three PPP workers, Nawab Ali Jagirani, Baqar Ali Jagirani and Ramz Ali Jagirani and PML-Q worker Wazir Ali Mahar were injured.

Lakhi police reached the spot and controlled the situation. Police arrested injured PPP workers.

COP KILLED: A head constable of excise police was killed in a clash between two groups of Brohi tribe in the jurisdiction of Rustam police station on Sunday.

A group of 40 armed Brohi tribesmen belonging to Lal Mohammad Brohi group attacked on the house of Mashooq Ali Brohi and opened fire at those who were present there. Mashooq was killed in the firing.

The motive behind the murder was said to be matrimonial dispute between rival groups.

Meanwhile, a villager was killed while two others received bullet injuries in Dakhan on Sunday.

A group of armed men opened fire at Abdul Majeed Junejo, resident of village Juneja, who was sitting at a barber’s shop near bus stand Dakhan.

Majeed killed on the spot while two others sitting in the shop, were seriously injured.