MANSEHRA, Jan 11: The forest department on Tuesday seized a large quantity of timber and 385 flour bags meant for flood affected people, and arrested two smugglers, it was learnt.

Sources in the forest department told reporters that thousands of feet of timber of high quality concealed under 385 flour bags donated by the United Nations Agency for International Development for flood survivors was being smuggled to Peshawar from Kohistan via Karakorum Highway.

The district forest officer Ijaz Qadir after a tip-off constituted a team which intercepted two trucks at Batal area and recovered the timber and flour bags.

Two alleged smugglers Tikah Khan and Mohammad Haroon were arrested and handed over to the Batal police.

Police sources told reporters that the flour bags, which were to be distributed among flood affected families of Kohistan and Gilgit-Baltistan, were being smuggled to Peshawar for sale.

DFO Ijaz Qadir could not be contacted despite repeated calls on his mobile and office numbers.

RALLIES: Tehrik-i-Subah Hazara has announced fresh round of rallies and public meetings in upper parts of the Hazara.

The leaders of the Tehrik Sardar Mohammad Yousuf, Tariq Khan Swati, Shazada Gustasib Khan and others told a press conference on Tuesday fresh round of rallies was being launched by January 15 with a big public meeting in Mansehra.

They said the public meeting would also be addressed by leaders of the Tehrik Subah Pothhar and Sarikee Subah.

They said that the peaceful movement for the separate province of Hazara would continue until realization of the objective.

PROTEST: A large number of people on Tuesday took to streets in Battagram and blocked Karakorum highway against the Pesco.

“Three weeks have been passed since their transformers went out of order but Pesco officials at Battagram were demanding bribe to repair the feeder,” said Bara Khan while addressing the rally. The protesters blocked the road for over two hours while setting the tyres on fire at Chapergrain, causing inconvenience to the commuters.

The protesters opened the road after DSP Sardar Khan reached the spot and assured them that the transformer would be changed with a new one on Wednesday.