Four killed in Dera

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Aug 15: Four people were killed in different incidents in parts of Dera district on Monday.

In the first incident Musafir opened indiscriminate fire on a taxi driver, Omar Khan, in Chah Galli killing him on the spot. The accused managed to escape after the incident.

In the second incident Mubashar Hussain was gunned down over an old enmity by his rivals near Fateh in the jurisdiction of University police station.

In the third incident a youth identified as Shahid Rabbani committed suicide by strangling himself in Kachi Mayanda Khan over a domestic dispute.

Another youth identified as Rahmatullah strangled himself to death after exchange of hot words with his family members in Green Town.—Correspondent

Two die on road

CHARSADDA, Aug 15: Two cousins were killed and another man was injured when a motorcycle collided with a tractor near Kherabad in Shabqadar on Monday.

Hameedullah and Azizullah died on the spot. Abdur Rehman, who was also sitting with the victims, was hospitalised in precarious condition.

The residents said the two cousins were the second year students of government college Shabqadar.

Meanwhile, an alleged extortionist was killed when a hand grenade exploded in his hand during an exchange of fire with police in Mandani area on Sunday night.

Mandani police SHO Noor Elahi said the police surrounded the accused, Fazal Amin, and tried to arrest him, but he opened fire. During exchange of fire, the accused tried to hurl a hand grenade at the police party, but it exploded in his hand, killing him instantly.—Correspondent

PPP activists’ rally

PARACHINAR, Aug 15: PPP activists and tribal people staged a rally on Monday to celebrate extension of Political Parties Act to Fata and amendments in FCR.

The rally was led by PPP Fata leader Hamid Turi and Kurram Agency leader Laiq Turi.

The rally apart from PYO and PSF activities was also attended by a large number of tribal people. The rally was started from People’s House Parachinar and after passing through various roads reached press club chowk where it turned into a public gathering. The participants were holding banners, placards and national and party flags. The youth danced on drumbeats. They said President Zardari had fulfilled the promise made by Benazir Bhutto with the tribal people.—Correspondent

Prayer leader murdered

CHITRAL, Aug 15: A young prayer leader was shot dead by unknown assailants while leading Taraweeh prayer in a mosque of Nogram village in upper Chitral on Sunday night.

Police said Ghulam Mustafa was shot at from a close range through the window of the mosque hall as a result of which he died on the spot. The police registered the case and started investigation. His body was shifted to the DHQ hospital on Monday for postmortem examination and later on buried in the village graveyard.—Correspondent

Fake currency seized

PESHAWAR, Aug 15: Police claimed on Monday to have seized fake currency notes worth Rs199,500 and arrested two alleged smugglers.

A police spokesman said following prior information a party of Gulbahar police station raided at a place near Peshawar bus terminal and arrested two accused Sajjad Hussain and Mohammad Sajjad of Sargodha.

During search, he said, police recovered huge amount of fake currency which had been shifted from tribal region and was destined for Punjab.

Similarly, the Sarband police arrested two alleged smugglers and recovered seven kilogram hashish from them. The accused identified themselves as Javailullah of Ghala Bazair Chamkani and Abdul Qayyum of Khyber Agency. The car (LFP 8073) which contained the hashish in its secret cavities was also impounded.—Bureau Report

Students hold demo

PESHAWAR, Aug 15: Muttahida Talba Mahaz (MTM) on Monday staged a protest demonstration against the officials of the education department for closing admissions for FA part-I.

The students held a rally outside Peshawar press club carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the secretary education for closing admissions.

Talking to reporters the students’ leaders said the decision would benefit the private educational institutions which were fleecing the people.

They said due to lack of educational institutions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa thousands of students every year remained deprived of the admissions in colleges and were compelled to seek admissions in private institutions.

They demanded of the provincial government to extend the admission date.—Bureau Report

Rs108m for IDPs

ISLAMABAD, Aug 15: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday approved release of Rs108.6 million to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for disbursement as compensation among 4,344 internally displaced families of Doog Dara area of Upper Dir district.—APP

Revenue complex

KOHAT, Aug 15: The government will construct a new revenue complex to replace the 100 years old tehsil building for which funds have been allocated in the current fiscal.

This was announced by the Commissioner, Kohat division, Sahibzada Mohammad Anees during a visit to the revenue departments on Monday.

He was accompanied by the additional commissioner, Kohat, Aqalbad Shah, DCO Shahidullah Khan and revenue officials. Mr Anees asked the officers to maintain record of the cash book of the revenue department. He inspected various offices, including storage of various items for flood relief.

Meanwhile, the district revenue and estate officer raided several shops and fined the owners Rs17,000 for not following the rates fixed by the administration.—Correspondent

Women wing

PESHAWAR, Aug 15: The Awami National Party has clarified that women wing doesn’t exist in the party at any level.

Clarifying a news item that appeared in this newspaper on Monday, the party provincial secretary information Arbab Mohammad Tahir Khan Khalil said Ms Zahira Khattak was one of their veteran activists and member of the provincial and national councils of the ANP, but she was not central president of the ANP women wing.

Mr Khalil said the ANP believed in the egalitarianism of both genders and there could not be any gender discrimination in the party.

He said there was no separate set up for women in the party.—Bureau Report