NEWS IN BRIEF

Published July 27, 2011

Two killed over minor dispute

HARIPUR, July 26: A teenaged boy and his sister were gunned down while four others were injured seriously when a man opened fire at jirga members in village Chinar Kot near Sirikot some 26 kms from here on Monday night.

According to Ghazi police, the jirga was called to settle a minor dispute over a quarrel between sons of two villagers, Afsar and Ali Akbar.

When the jirga was discussing the dispute, Afsar lost his temper and opened fire with his Kalashnikov at the jirga members seriously injuring six persons including three children.

The injured were taken to Tehsil Headquarter Hospital Ghazi where the doctors pronounced Mohammad Ilyas, 13, son of Ali Akbar and his sister Robina, 11, dead.The accused fled the village to escape arrest. —Correspondent

Lowari tunnel

PESHAWAR, July 26: People from various areas of Chitral district held a protest demonstration at Sher Shah Suri Road here on Tuesday against the stoppage of work on Lowari Tunnel and demanded of the government to allocate more funds for the project.

The protesters were holding banners and placards inscribed with a demand for allocation of Rs4 billion for the project.

Leading the protesters, Tanzeem Tahafuz-i-Haqooq-i- Chitral chairman Sadiq Ameen told media persons that the federal government had allocated only Rs1 billion in the current fiscal year for the Lowari tunnel project, which was a very little for such a mega project.

He alleged that the government had transferred the project fund to Multan and Larkana, which was a great injustice with the people of Chitral. —Bureau Report Anti-polio drive in Buner BUNER, July 26: The district coordination officer on Tuesday directed the executive district officers (health and education) to take action against those officials whose performance was poor during the recently held polio vaccination campaign.

A meeting was held here in Daggar with DCO Syed Mujeebur Rehman in the chair. The DCO said that the government was committed to eradicate polio from the country. He directed the EDOs to take stern action against the officials showing poor performance during the campaign.

On the occasion, EDO health Dr Malik Riaz told the meeting that 477 teams took part in the campaign, adding that 153,141 children were vaccinated while just 1,653 children were missed due to non-availability and refusal cases were only 110. —Correspondent Woman’s plea for help PESHAWAR, July 26: A woman, Razia Bibi, of Mohammadzai area said on Tuesday that some influential people of her village were trying to grab a piece of land owned by her family and the police were avoiding registration of case against them.

Speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club, the woman said that the land measuring 58 marlas located at Mian Gujar village was her inherited property and the group was not allowing her to cultivate the land.

“In the prevailing situation, the area police are also supporting the influential land mafia,” she lamented.

She appealed to the Peshawar High Court chief justice and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief to provide her protection and justice. —Bureau Report Gas for Balakot

MANSEHRA, July 26: Syed Qasim Shah, adviser to prime minister, has said that the federal government will launch mega development projects in Hazara to address the problems being faced by the people.

“Hazara region has been neglected by the successive governments but the present government will establish an airport in the division and provide natural gas to Balakot and other areas which remained deprived of the facility in the past,” said Mr Shah while speaking to reporters in Balakot on Tuesday.Mr Shah said that the government had initiated work on Hassanabdal-Mansehra expressway which would put the area on way to prosperity.

Syed Qasim Shah said that natural gas facility would also be provided in Balakot, Oghi, Shinkiary and other areas in Mansehra district to protect the forests. —Correspondent

Obnoxious calls

PESHAWAR, July 26: Taking notice of the fake callers claiming to be representatives of the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited and offering cash prizes, the PTCL has asked its subscribers to ignore such calls.

In a press release issued here on Tuesday, a PTCL spokesman said that PTCL was not in any way affiliated with any draw or offering cash prizes and was not disclosing phone numbers of its subscribers to any third party for the purpose.

The PTCL advised the public, especially its customers, to be careful and vigilant while receiving and responding to such messages or phone calls.

The subscribers were asked to dial 1236 for any information or for any clarification regarding any inquiry related to prize schemes or otherwise. —Bureau Report Man dies on road

TIMERGARA, July 26: A man was killed and two others including a driver were injured when a Datsun pick-up they were travelling in skidded off the road at Sangar Shah on Timergara-Maidan road here on Tuesday, residents and police said.

They said the vehicle was coming from Kumbar Maidan to Timergara but the driver lost control and the pick-up overturned.

One of the passengers, Izzat Khan, died on the spot while two injured men were rushed to the DHQ Hospital Timergara.

Meanwhile, compensation cheques worth Rs16.2 million were distributed among 5,000 flood-affected farmers of Khall, Timergara and Balambat tehsils of Lower Dir on Tuesday.

A function in this regard was held at the office of executive district magistrate Noor Wali Khan Wazir which was attended by farmers, elders, former local government representatives and government officials. —Correspondent

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