Drug dealer killed

ATTOCK, Aug 8: A medicine dealer was shot dead and his brother injured during a robbery attempt here on Monday.

Police said four armed persons entered the office of the medicine wholesaler near Railway Park in the disguise of medical representatives. The bandits tried to make the owner and other people hostage. On resistance, the robbers opened fire on them and fled. As a result, the company owner, Sahib Khan, died on the spot while his brother Zahid Khan sustained injuries.

The police shifted the injured and the body to the district headquarters hospital and later handed over the body to the relatives after postmortem.

It may be noted that the Attock city has seen a sharp increase in street crimes, particularly robbery and theft incidents, due to police inefficiency, causing a sense of insecurity among the residents. — Correspondent

Woman dies in aircraft

RAWALPINDI, Aug 8: A female passenger on a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight to Karachi died of illness before the plane took off from Benazir International Airport on Monday, sources said.

Tariq Badria Siti, aged between 40 and 45, was traveling along with her 10-year-old daughter Yasmin on PK-784 when she fell seriously ill at the airport.

Ms Siti, a resident of Jhelum, was shifted to the plane on a wheelchair. As she was too ill to proceed to the aircraft, the staff concerned used an ambo-lifter to get her onboard.

The sources said as she was lifted to the aircraft, she fell unconscious before taking her seat in the aircraft.

A doctor was called from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), who after examining the patient pronounced her dead.

Later, her family who had come to see her off at the airport was called and handed over the body. — Staff Reporter

Gas price hike opposed

RAWALPINDI, Aug 8: Jamaat-i-Islami Rawalpindi chapter on Monday urged the government to withdraw the latest increase in gas prices, saying it would make the lives of the poverty-stricken people more miserable.

The government increased gas prices for all consumers by 13.55 per cent on Sunday.

In a press statement, JI Rawalpindi leaders Sajjad Ahmed Abbasi, Shamsur Rehman Swati and Raja Mohammad Jawad said the government decision had created further difficulties for the masses who were already finding it hard to manage their household budgets.

“Instead of providing relief to the people, the government is taking anti-poor decisions,” they said.

They said on the dictate of international financial institutions the government was increasing the tariffs of gas and electricity. — A Reporter

Two houses looted

CHAKWAL, Aug 8: Robbers struck at two houses on Sunday night and looted cash and jewellery sets, police said.

Abdul Rahman, a resident of Odherwal village, told the Saddar police that six armed bandits barged into his house and looted Rs120,000, jewellery sets and three mobile phones.

The other incident took place in Chakora village near Odherwal. Tauqeer Hussain told the police that seven robbers stormed his house. They tied him and his brother Ansar Mehmood with ropes and looted Rs226,000, jewellery sets, a mobile phone and other valuables. — A Correspondent

Eight injured on road

TAXILA, Aug 8: Eight people were injured in a road accident on Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway near Brahma Interchange early Monday.

The passenger van (P-6299) was coming from Rawalpindi when it rammed into a car (RIV-979) and veered into a green belt after its driver had a nap. The injured were taken to the tehsil headquarters hospital Hassanabdal from where two of them, Robina Bibi and Inyat Masih, were referred to the district headquarters hospital Rawalpindi. The van driver escaped from the scene. — Correspondent