Journalist arrested

CHAKWAL, July 1: Journalists on Friday protested against the arrest of an editor of a local weekly newspaper brought out from Chakwal. Mohammad Tofail was arrested on Wednesday on the charge of possessing 1,040 grams hashish.

The journalists’ protest at Bhoun Chowk, which started around 8:30am, was joined by members of the civil society, wife and children of the arrested journalist, and rickshaw drivers, who had come out against the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) for increasing the “parking rates”.

Rickshaws were parked to block the crossing. They raised slogans against police and the TMA. The protest continued for four hours, blocking the city’s main square.

Tasleem Begum, arrested journalist’s wife, accused District Police Officer (DPO) Syed Ali Mohsin of registering a fake case against her husband. “My husband only exposed corruption and cruelties of police,” she said.

DPO Mohsin told Dawn that he had nothing to do with the case registered against the journalist. “Neither I know him nor am I aware of any such FIR.” He added that he also never saw Tofail’s paper. Interestingly when asked why police did not take action to open the blocked crossing, the DPO said he did not know about it. “When was the chowk blocked and why,” he asked.— Correspondent

Life term awarded

TAXILA, July 1: Additional sessions judge on Friday handed down life imprisonment to a teenage girl for being involved in a murder case. Natasha Bibi has been found guilty of abetting in the murder of her uncle Mohammad Ansar on May 19 last year.

Her mother Azra Bibi, the main accused, was declared proclaimed offender. Natasha will have to undergo an additional six-month imprisonment if she fails to pay fine of Rs50,000.— Correspondent

PPP women wing president

ISLAMABAD, July 1: Nargis Faiz Malik has been elected as president PPP women wing capital chapter, said a statement issued here on Friday.

Ms Malik was the general secretary of PPP women wing Islamabad district and was a close aide of slain prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

In a statement, she said: “I am really thankful to MNA Faryal Talpur who is also chairperson PPP women wing for her trust in me to mobilise and organise women chapter of the party.” She vowed that she would continue her efforts to highlight the problems being faced by women.— Our Reporter

PML-N petition returned

MUZAFFARABAD, July 1: The AJK High Court (AJK HC) here on Friday returned a writ petition filed by the PML-N against the alleged rigging in the recently held general elections to the AJK Legislative Assembly due to certain technical reasons.

The court could not entertain a joint petition against the respondents who had been notified as successful candidates as well as against those who would contest the elections, Chief Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal said directing the petitioners to file an amended petition, if they wished so, by segregating the causes.

Meanwhile, a full bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal, Justice Munir Ahmed Chaudhry and Justice M Tabassum Aftab Alvi dismissed a petition filed by Muslim Conference (MC) candidate Abdul Qayyum Niazi against the decision of the Chief Election Commissioner regarding re-polling in LA 17, Poonch-I on July 18.— Staff Correspondent

Unhygienic meat seized

RAWALPINDI, July 1: Over 200kg of substandard and unhygienic meat was seized from Khadda Market by a special team of health department on Friday and lodged FIR against three accused with Pirwadhai police station.The team led by Sanitary and Food Inspector Rana Ghulam Murtaza conducted a raid at Khadda Market, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed when three accused were carrying the meat for distribution in different markets.

The meat was transported to Rawalpindi from Jhang on a passenger van. The team held three persons Muhammad Umer Qureshi, Muhammad Saqlain and Muhammad Asad.

Health officials said that after declaring the meat unhygienic and substandard, the officials burnt it at Leh Nullah near Pirwadhai. — A Reporter

Two women burnt in gas blast

KAHUTA, July 1: Two women were burnt when their house caught fire due to gas leakage here on Friday. The sources said that the gas valve remained open in Muhammad Afzal's house at night. On Friday morning, his wife Gulzar Begum tried to light the stove to cook breakfast but the house caught fire with an explosion. Resultantly, Gulzar Begum and her daughter Safina Bibi received serious burn injuries. They were rushed to the hospital. The blast was heard miles away and the panicked people came on streets, the eyewitness said. — Online