Four killed in accident

MUZAFFARABAD, Aug 3: Four persons were killed and 10 others sustained injuries when a passenger van veered off the road and rolled down to the bank of the river Jhelum near here on Wednesday.

The Muzaffarabad-bound van was coming from Rahimkot village when it met the accident near Asgharabad village on Kohala-Muzaffarabad Road.

A police official told Dawn that four persons died on the spot and 10 others were injured and admitted to the Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences (Aims). Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed visited the hospital and inquired after the injured persons. He also distributed cheques among them.

Police said the cause of the accident was yet to be ascertained. However, some witnesses said the accident occurred due to over speeding. — Staff Correspondent

Man gunned down

CHAKWAL, Aug 3: A man was gunned down over a petty dispute, relatives and police sources told Dawn on Wednesday.

Mohammad Zameer, a resident of Odherwal village, was returning home at 11am on Tuesday when he was stopped by two persons on Odherwal-Bhoun Bypass. Both, identified as Liaquat Butt and Qurban, opened fire on Zameer killing him on the spot. Liaquat Butt and Qurban are said to be members of MQM Chakwal district.

Sources told Dawn that Mohammad Zameer had a brawl with Liaquat Butt and Qurban during the protest against loadshedding on May 19 when enraged protesters blocked Talagang Road at Odherwal Chowk.

When contacted, the district in-charge of MQM, Malik Qalab Abbas, confirmed that Liaquat Butt had served as party’s district chief. However, he denied Qurban being the member of the party. He said MQM had nothing to do with the act of Liaquat and Qurban. — A Correspondent

— another killed in Rawat

RAWALPINDI, Aug 3: A young man was shot dead by some gunmen near Rawat on Wednesday night.

Police said the man who seems to be in his 30s was traveling in his car towards Rawalpindi. First his body was shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital but later it was removed to Gujar Khan.

Meanwhile, a jeweler was robbed of cash by three gunmen in Saddar Barooni area while two women were deprived of cash in different areas of the city, police said on Wednesday. — Staff Reporter

Rain forecast

ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: The Met Office has forecast another spell of monsoon rains in upper parts of the country, including the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, from Thursday (today).

This weather system is likely to spread to other parts of the country, it added. According to the Met Office, scattered rains/thundershowers are expected in Kashmir, Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Malakand, Hazara and Kohat divisions. The weather is likely to remain hot and humid in rest of the country during the period.

Afterwards, more monsoon currents are likely to penetrate in parts of the country from Saturday that would produce scattered rains/thundershowers with isolated heavy falls in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir from Saturday to Tuesday. — A Reporter

Pindi commissioner

CHAKWAL, Aug 3: Commissioner Rawalpindi Zahid Saeed visited Ramazan Sasta bazaars in Chakwal, Kallar Kahar and Dhudial on Wednesday.

He expressed his satisfaction over the quality and prices of food items available in the bazaars.

Talking to reporters, he said the government was trying its best to provide quality food items to the masses on reasonable prices during the holy month. He said shopkeepers involved in adulteration and overcharging would face criminal cases. “We would not impose fine on those involved in adulteration and overcharging rather criminal cases would be registered against them and they would be put behind bars,” he warned.

He said more such bazaars would be set up according to the demands of the public. — Correspondent

YDA strike enters 15th day

ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: The doctors’ strike at the Out-Patient Department (OPD) of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) entered the 15th day on Wednesday.

This strike was observed on the appeal of the Young Doctors Association (YDA). President of YDA Dr Sajjid Abbasi while addressing the doctors' gathering at Pims on Wednesday said if the administration failed to address their problem, they would stop working in the emergency ward as well. He said that the YDA Islamabad Chapter was observing strike as their demands regarding the pay raise and the service structure were not being implemented.

He said the doctors only performed duties in the emergency ward of the hospital while the other services remained closed including the OPDs, operation theatres and other departments.

He said it seemed that authorities were not serious in the resolution of doctors' problems and urged them to fulfil their demands as early as possible so that doctors might do their job with peace of mind. – APP

Date for account statements

ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said that the last date to file the statement of accounts by the political parties is August, 29, 2011.

The ECP has said that the Article 13 of the Political Parties Order, 2002 provides that every political party shall submit to the Election Commission within 60 days from the close of each financial year, a consolidated statement of accounts of the party duly audited by a charted accountant. The ECP said that a certificate signed by the party leader must accompany the statement of accounts stating that no funds from any source prohibited under the Political Parties Order, 2002, were received by the party and the statement contained accurate financial position of the party. — A Reporter

I.J. Principal Road

ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: The residents of the areas along the IJ Principal Road, one of the main traffic arteries in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, demanded of the authorities concerned to beautify it with required landscaping.

The completion of the road a few years back had made the massive traffic flow smooth but the repeated work on its widening, removal of street lights, trees and plants had deprived the road of vegetation and greenery. The large chunks of mud-patches on both the sides are eye-soaring for the motorists.

The residents and motorists have demanded of the civic body to immediately look into the issue and take remedial steps. — APP