Criminal gangs

MARDAN, June 25: Inhabitants of different villages in the Rustam town have urged the government to take action against ‘criminals’ of Bairoch village as their cruelties have forced several families to leave the area.

Bairoch is a remote village of Rustam town, sharing boundary with Buner. The area is considered a safe haven for criminals because it is a mountainous and personnel of law-enforcement agencies could hardly make their access to it.

Residents of the adjacent areas said the Bairoch village was consisted of 100 to 120 homes and most residents belonged to criminal gangs. They said against every anti-social element in the area at least 7 to 8 criminal cases had been registered and several of them were proclaimed offenders.

The SHO of Rustam police admitted Bairoch was a tough terrain due to tall mountains having long tunnels which gave an advantage to criminals.—Correspondent

Community schools

CHITRAL, June 25: The female teachers of community schools run by National Education Foundation on Saturday took out a protest procession and staged a sit-in outside Chitral press club warning the government of mass suicides if the decision of closing these schools was not revoked.

The teachers of remote areas with hundreds of students also attended the protest. They were carrying banners and placards inscribed with demands of restoring the informal schools.

Later, the leaders of teachers and others addressed a press conference and condemned the decision of closing down the schools. They held that the 95 informal schools in the remote areas of the district were contributing significantly to the advancement of primary education. They claimed these schools arrested the swelling number of dropout rate of students from the primary schools.—Correspondent

Robbers held

NOWSHERA, June 25: The National Highway and Motorway Police on Saturday arrested two dacoits along with arms and ammunition at Rashakai interchange who were involved in a robbery at Dubai Bank, Rawalpindi.

A spokesman told Dawn the mastermind of robbery, security guard Nawab Hussain, and Ramzan Ali, residents of Parachinar, were arrested while trying to enter the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in a car. Two pistols, a dagger, two gloves and mobile phones were also recovered from them.

The spokesman said the Rawalpindi police had already communicated the car’s registration number to the motorway police. However, the looted money was yet to be recovered from the robbers.

He said the two men were desperately wanted by the Rawalpindi police as Rs16 million was the largest amount of cash ever taken away in one of the two bank heists in the city in recent times.—Correspondent

Omar Asghar remembered

ABBOTTABAD, June 25: Rich tributes were paid to late Omer Asghar Khan, former federal minister and founder of Sungi Development Foundation, at a ceremony held at the residence of veteran politician Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan here on Saturday to mark his 9th death anniversary.

The speakers said late Omer Asghar had taken a number of initiatives for welfare of labourers and had also fought for wage incentive plan for journalists.

Ali Asghar Khan, chairman of the Omer Asghar Khan Foundation, remarked that late Omer Asghar Khan had brought the people from different segments of society under one umbrella and had raised the voice of the oppressed people.

Ali Asghar Khan, who is younger brother of late Omer Asghar Khan, said movement for Hazara province was started following the footsteps of the deceased.—Correspondent

Office-bearers elected

ABBOTTABAD, June 25: Malik Manzoor advocate was on Saturday elected president of Peshawar High Court Bar Association, Abbottabad Circuit Bench, while Juned Anwar was elected general secretary.

Malik Manzoor got 330 votes while his close rival Qazi Mohammad Arshad advocate got 266 votes. For the seat of general secretary, Juned Anwar polled 399 votes followed by Syed Yasir Shabbir with 214 votes. All other office-bearers were elected unopposed. They include vice-president Kamran Rehmani, joint secretary Faisal Younis and library secretary Syed Zulfiqar Shah.

Members of the executive body, who were also elected unopposed, included Raza Shah, Abdul Waheed Khan, Musaddaq Khan and Mubasshar. Lawyers from Haripur, Havelian, Mansehra, Battagram, Kohistan, Alai and Abbottabad took part in the election.—Correspondent

Hospitals’ rehabilitation

TIMERGARA, June 25: The chairman of the district development advisory committee Mohammad Zamin advocate has said the government is committed to providing all necessary equipments to public sector hospitals and rehabilitating the damaged heath facilities in Maidan area.

He was talking to journalists on Saturday after handing over furniture, surgical instruments, refrigerators and other equipments to the administrations of five damaged basic health units of Maidan during a function.

The executive district officer, health, Dr Shaukat and elders of the area were also present. The DDAC chairman said five of the BHUs blown up by militants three years ago were being rehabilitated by the USAID. He said these included the BHU of Chinar Kot, Zaimadara, Deedanpura, Shagai and Moranai.—Correspondent

Section 144

PESHAWAR, June 25: The district administration on Saturday imposed Section 144 for two days in the provincial metropolis to avoid any untoward incident during polls for AJK constituencies being held today (Sunday).

A statement issued from the district coordination office said during the two days (Sunday and Monday) pillion ridding would be banned and action would be taken against violators.

Display of arms, provocative literature and Afghan refugees’ entry into the city areas have also been banned.

Meanwhile, police have deployed 40 personnel at Government Boys High School No-I and Government High School No-II at Hashtnagri where polling for LA-30, 36 and 40 would be held.—Bureau Report

Peace festivals

MANSEHRA, June 25: The tourists and local people have urged the provincial government to hold events like Kaghan festival at other tourist resorts in the province.

They made the demand to provincial Ministers Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Syed Ahmad Hussain Shah and Syed Aqil Shah during the latter’s visit to the festival on Saturday.

“It is our mission to provide entertainment opportunities to people of the terrorism plagued province and attract national and international tourists to the scenic valleys as Kaghan,” said Mr Hussain while responding to the people’s queries.“Alongside use of force to confront the militancy such festivals are also highly effective tools to defeat their philosophy and mindset,” remarked Mr Shah.—Correspondent