Explosives seized

MANSEHRA, May 19: The Mansehra police arrested eight accused and seized 2,000kg explosives and 20,000 meters of safety fuse wire from two trucks here on Thursday.

“We have seized huge quantity of explosives and arrested eight people. The explosives could be used in subversive activities in the region,” said Malik Ijaz, DSP headquarters, while talking to media men on Thursday.

The DSP said on a tip-off police intercepted two trucks on Karakorum Highway, and recovered 2,000kg explosives, 20,000 meter fuse wire, two repeater guns and two pistols from the accused.

He said the explosives were being transported to Gilgit-Baltistan from Rawalpindi. —Correspondent

NAB inquiries

PESHAWAR, May 19: The NAB has initiated inquiry against officials of Nadra for alleged involvement in issuing national identity cards to Afghans.

According to a press release issued on Thursday, a meeting of the NAB executive board was held here with the Bureau’s KP director general Brig (retd) Mohammad Musaddiq Abbasi in the chair.

The meeting authorised inquiries against two officials of home and population welfare departments for accumulating assets beyond their income.

An inquiry was also authorised against a supervisor of grain godown in Chitral for allegedly amassing assets.

Another inquiry was approved against a contractor and C&W department officials in Bannu for using substandard material in construction of roads. —Bureau Report

PPP workers’ demand

PESHAWAR, May 19: Some dissident activists of PPP, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have demanded of the central leaders to save the party in the province.

The activists at a press conference on Wednesday said the provincial president Zahir Ali Shah was not eligible for such an important slot, who, they added, had ignored the party’s sincere workers. They warned if the party provincial president was not replaced the workers would start protest sit-ins outside PPP secretariat. They claimed to have been associated with the party since long but now the local leaders were not paying attention to them.—Bureau Report

Six persons booked

MARDAN, May 19: The anti-corruption police on Thursday registered case against six persons including a former girdawar of revenue department for allegedly making a bogus and fake transfer of a piece of land.

Officials of anti-corruption police station said Zahidullah Bacha, a resident of Ismaila area of Swabi, had registered a complaint against six persons identified as girdawar Najeebullah, Mohammad Ashraf, Fazal Mohammad, Shujaat Ali, Fazal Ali of Gumbat locality and Mohammad Nawaz Khan of Gadar area, for making bogus transfer of 5 kanals and 18 marlas land of his aunt Ms Gohara Bibi.—Correspondent

University campus

CHITRAL, May 19: The students of different colleges of Chitral have demanded of the government to establish the campus of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University in the district.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, the students said Chitral was situated in the geographical jurisdiction of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University and all the colleges were affiliated with it, but the government had failed to meet their longstanding demand.

The students said the announcement of chief minister regarding establishment of campus of Abdul Wali Khan University in Chitral had caused disappointment among the locals. —Correspondent

Policemen awarded

PESHAWAR, May 19: The government on Thursday awarded cash prizes and commendation certificates to police personnel who demonstrated courage in militants’ attacks on a police post at Sango in Peshawar, at Akora Khattak and Dera Ismail Khan.

The awards were distributed by Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti at CM house on Thursday. He said the force had faced militancy with valour and bravery despite meager resources and untoward circumstances that earned good name for it in and outside the country.

The whole nation, he said, was proud of the force, adding, the government was taking practical steps for increase in its number, better training, provision of modern equipments and increase in capacity. —Bureau Report

Crime rate ‘declines’

KOHAT, May 19: The Inspector General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, Fiaz Khan Toru, has said the crime rate has decreased by two to 14 percent in various categories as compared to previous years by imparting modern training to the police force.

Talking to police officers, journalists and parliamentarians from Karak, Kohat and Hangu at circuit house here on Thursday the IGP said the number of policemen who had been given modern training by the army and through other courses had doubled to 65,000. He said the police would get 375 double cabin pick-ups laced with latest communication technology next month.—Correspondent

Watan cards

CHITRAL, May 19: The flood affected people of different valleys of Chitral have warned the government of launching violent protests if they were not provided Watan cards for which they have been running from pillar to post for the last nine months.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, the representatives of different flood-affected valleys described their ordeal and expressed dismay over the attitude of Nadra officials.

They said that their names had been selected for issuance of Watan cards but the Nadra officials were employing delaying tactics. Some of the people said that although they had been issued Watan cards but the ATM cards of United Bank Limited were not accepted by the machine. —Correspondent

Reshuffle in bureaucracy

PESHAWAR, May 19: The provincial government has transferred Amin-ul-Haq (BS-18), Deputy Secretary, Industries Department, and posted him as Additional Commissioner, Malakand in his own pay and scale against the vacant post.

Similarly, Syed Imtiaz Hussein Shah (DMG BS-19) on arrival from Establishment Division Islamabad, has been posted as DCO Kohistan in his own pay and scale, while Mohammad Hamayun (DMG BS-18), DCO Kohistan, has been asked to report to the Establishment Department.

Moreover, the provincial government has transferred Amir Akbar Khan (BS-17), ACO, Malakand and posted him as District Officer (R&E) Mansehra, with immediate effect, according to three separate notifications issued on Thursday.—APP