Enmity claims two lives PESHAWAR, April 28: Two police constables were killed when a group of armed men ambushed their car at Ring Road here on Thursday evening, police said.

An official of the Peshtakhara police station said that those killed were identified as Zar Gul and Fazal Dad. They were coming to Peshawar city from their village when they came under attack.

Both were stated to be personnel of special police force, but they were not on duty at the time incident. The official said that cause of the incident was an old enmity. —Bureau Report Miner dies

KALAYA, April 28: A miner was killed and his co-worker was injured in a mine blast in Dholi area of Lower Orakzai on Thursday.

The blast occurred due to accumulation of gas at the mine No.10 in Dholi area. Pir Madar of Shangla district was killed while Bakht Munir of the same area was injured in the explosion. Both the labourers were busy in routine work when the blast occurred.

Meanwhile, unidentified armed men opened indiscriminate fire and killed three persons in Dappa area of central Orakzai. The motive behind the attack could not be ascertained. The attackers managed to escape after the incident. —Correspondent Govt employees hold rally

PESHAWAR, April 28: Workers of various government departments continued their token hunger strike for the 11th consecutive day on Thursday and held a rally near the Cantonment Railway Station for acceptance of their demands.

The protesters, led by leaders of All Pakistan Government Employees Confederation (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chapter), were holding banners and placards inscribed with their demands, mainly for increase in salaries. They also shouted slogans for acceptance of their charter of demands and against the government. —Bureau Report Afghan national recovered

LANDI KOTAL, April 28: Political authorities on Thursday arrested five key members of a kidnappers gang and rescued an Afghan captive.

Officials said that the Afghan national was recovered from a car at Ziyarhai checkpost and arrested three persons involved in kidnapping.

Later, the khasadar personnel arrested another tribesman along with his son while acting on a tip-off provided by the persons arrested earlier.

Officials said that the group was involved in a number of kidnapping for ransom cases and had also links with militant groups operating in Bazaar-Zakhakhel area. All the arrested men belonged to Zakhakhel tribe. —Correspondent Wheel-jam strike

ALPURI, April 28: Transporters observed a wheel-jam strike here on Thursday to protest against the bandits looting drivers on the road and alleged extortion by police.

The transporters’ leaders told journalists that they had been forced to observe wheel-jam and stop supply of essential goods to Gilgit Baltistan as highway robberies had become very common. They said that the strike would continue until the administration fulfilled their demands.

The transporters also held demonstrations in various areas of Shangla district, including Besham, Shang, Mera, Lahor and other places.

They warned that they would stop supply of all kinds of commodities to Gilgit Baltistan if the administration failed to ensure security to the transporters. —Correspondent Shortage of teachers

KARAK, April 28: The parents of the students of government girls’ high school Dabb have complained that shortage of teachers and drinking water problem was impeding the smooth academic activities at the school.

Umer Hayat, Qayum Khan and Abdus Sattar said here on Thursday at a press conference that only a senior English teacher was available at the school while the two sanctioned post of the same category were lying vacant since long.

They demanded of the government that a science teacher should be provided to the school on priority basis. They said that the school had no drinking water facility. They demanded that the future of their children should be saved by resoling the basic problems. —Correspondent

PESHAWAR, April 28: Students of Institute of Chemical Sciences University of Peshawar conducted a one-day cleanliness drive at the campus in connection with the International Earth Day.

A press release issued by UoP said that the students went on to clean their respective laboratories of the institute, lawns and classrooms.

Director Institute of Chemical Sciences Prof Dr Imdadullah while addressing the students said that pollution and depleting natural resources were the major challenges faced by countries around the globe. He said that earth week was being observed to bring awareness about these issues among students on campus. —Bureau Report Sports gala concludes

PESHAWAR, April 28: A four-day sports week concluded at the Khyber Girls Medical College, Hayatabad here on Thursday with fun and frolic heralding the closing ceremony.

The sports week, which began on Monday, included several events to provide an opportunity to the students to compete with each other. Chief Executive, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Aftab Akbar Durrani was the chief guest on the occasion.

KGMC Principal Prof Dr Muhammad Zurbair Khan in his welcome address lauded the students for their enthusiasm and immense interest in the sporting events.

The colorful concluding ceremony included tug-of-war between students and teaching staff, cycle race, musical chair and other light entertainment events. The chief guest gave away prizes at the end of the ceremony. —Bureau Report Lowari tunnel closed for traffic

CHITRAL, April 28: The National Highway Authority (NHA) has banned passenger vehicles from passing through the incomplete Lowari tunnel after reopening of the Lowari Pass.

Passengers reaching here from Peshawar on Thursday told Dawn that the NHA had diverted the vehicular traffic to the Lowari Top road, which increased the traveling time by at least two hours.

Noshad Ali from Karimabad valley said that there was no logic to ban the use of tunnel for the passengers as no work was in progress inside the tunnel.

He said that interestingly, trucks loaded with timber coming from Chitral side were seen passing through the tunnel. —Correspondent