Two drown

RAWALPINDI, Aug 18: Two students drowned in Soan River on Thursday, according to their families.

The bodies were fished out by the divers and handed over to families.

According to details, Mohammad Ali, a 9th class student, and Malik Naqash, a first-year student, left their home in Malangan village near Kural Chowk along with their friends for swimming in Soan River on Thursday afternoon.

The families said the boys drowned after they went into deep water. Though the boys accompanying them desperately called for help, but the two were washed away before anything could be done.

Raja Shafqat Mehmood, an uncle of Ali, told Dawn that Ali’s elder brother had already been killed during firing on the rally of Nawaz Sharif in Kural Chowk on December 27, 2007. — Staff Reporter

Bank branch looted

ISLAMABAD, Aug 18: A gang of four robbers struck at the Allied Bank branch, Tarlai and made off with half a million rupees on Thursday, police said.

The police said that four persons armed with weapons looted the Allied Bank branch, Tarlai after over powering the security guards. Afterwards, the bank staff along with customers were made hostage at gunpoint. The robbers looted cash of Rs500,000, prize bonds worth Rs50,000, and mobile phones from the staff and the customers.

Later, the robbers demanded the recording of the CCTV camera and broke the computer to get the hard disk. After getting the recording, they escaped from the bank.

Shortly after getting information, the police reached the spot and collected the evidence. According to the police, the robbers arrived there in white Khyber and escaped in it from the spot.

Meanwhile, a house was looted in Judicial Colony by a group of dacoits in the limits of Koral police station. The robbers whisked away with cash, gold ornaments and other valuables worth over a million of rupees.— Staff Reporter

HSSC Part-I result today

ISLAMABAD, Aug 18: The result of the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) Part-I annual examination 2011 held under the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) which was held in May would be announced on Friday.The results will be available on the board's website. — APP

Teenaged girl abducted

TAXILA, Aug 18: A teenaged girl was abducted by two persons from a nearby village in the limits of Cantonment police station on Thursday.

Her mother reported to the police that her 14-year-old daughter went to Muneer Shah located near her house but she did not return home. She claimed that Mr Shah and Nafees Khan abducted her daughter. Cantonment police registered a case against the accused and started further investigation. —Correspondent

Man killed over enmity

ISLAMABAD, Aug 18: A man was shot dead over an old enmity here on Thursday, police said.

The victim was identified as Jamshed Khan, a native of Mardan. Police said he came to the capital a couple of years back to save his life from the family enmity which had already claimed 20 lives.

Khan, who worked in Karachi Steel Mills at Sector I-10/3, was returning to his workplace from a nearby shop when two persons intercepted him and shot him in the head, killing him on the spot.

The police said the victim was living in Islamabad alone and his family in Mardan was informed about the incident. The family told the police that he had fallen victim to the old enmity. They also nominated two persons in the killing.— Staff Reporter

Woman looted

RAWALPINDI, Aug 18: A woman was deprived of gold jewellery and cash by two gunmen here on Thursday night, police said.

Mohammad Azhar was returning home along with his wife Aasia when the couple was intercepted by the gunmen in Gharibabad. The culprits snatched gold rings, two gold bangles and Rs8,000 from the woman.

On hearing her hue and cry, her brother-in-law Mohammad Irfan rushed to her rescue from his nearby house and tried to overpower the culprits.

“Irfan was shot and injured by the gunmen when he along with his brother Azhar tried to capture the robbers,” the investigating police officer said. He said a Muhafiz squad also reached on the spot but the gunmen escaped after firing into the air. — Staff Reporter

Chicken prices go up

ATTOCK, Aug 18: Chicken prices have shot up to a record high in Ramazan here.

On Thursday, live chicken was selling at Rs155 to Rs160 per kg in urban areas while elsewhere it was available at around Rs170 per kg. Last week, chicken was available for Rs145 to Rs150 per kg.

It may be noted that before the start of Ramazan, chicken was selling at Rs120 to Rs125 per kg. So far there has been an increase of about Rs50 per kg. The price control committees and special price magistrates seem helpless to control the escalating prices of chicken as the sellers are charging the consumers at their will.— Correspondent

New TMO assumes charge

RAWALPINDI, Aug 18: Newly-appointed Town Municipal Officer (TMO) assumed his charge at the Rawal Town Municipal Administration (RTMA) on Thursday.

TMO Rawal Town Mumtaz Ahmed Malik was earlier serving as TMO Potohar Town Municipal Administration (PTMA).

Meanwhile, Shahzad Haider, former TMO Rawal Town, has been appointed as Town Officer Planning and Coordination, Chakwal.

The officials of the RTMA and office bearers of CBA Municipal United Workers League and Municipal Labor Union called on newly-appointed TMO Rawal Town at his office and welcomed his appointment. They also assured him full support in running the affairs of the town.— A Reporter

Five shopkeepers jailed

TAXILA, Aug 18: As many as five shopkeepers were sent to jail and 34 others were imposed fine during a crackdown launched by the local administration against the profiteers in Taxila and Wah Cantonment on Thursday.

Assistant Commissioner Arif Raheem while talking to newsmen said that the local administration launched a special drive to ensure provision of daily use items at controlled prices during the holy month of Ramazan. He said during surprise checking, cases were registered against five shopkeepers and they were sent to jail for profiteering. He said that over 34 shopkeepers were imposed fines of Rs1,52,000 as they were selling daily use items at exorbitant rates. — Correspondent

Two drown

RAWALPINDI, Aug 18: Two students drowned in Soan River on Thursday, according to their families. The bodies were fished out by the divers and handed over to families. According to details, Mohammad Ali, a 9th class student, and Malik Naqash, a first-year student, left their home in Malangan village near Kural Chowk along with their friends for swimming in Soan River on Thursday afternoon. The families said the boys drowned after they went into deep water. Though the boys accompanying them desperately called for help, but the two were washed away before anything could be done. Raja Shafqat Mehmood, an uncle of Ali, told Dawn that Ali’s elder brother had already been killed during firing on the rally of Nawaz Sharif in Kural Chowk on December 27, 2007. — Staff Reporter

Bank branch looted

ISLAMABAD, Aug 18: A gang of four robbers struck at the Allied Bank branch, Tarlai and made off with half a million rupees on Thursday, police said. The police said that four persons armed with weapons looted the Allied Bank branch, Tarlai after over powering the security guards. Afterwards, the bank staff along with customers were made hostage at gunpoint. The robbers looted cash of Rs500,000, prize bonds worth Rs50,000, and mobile phones from the staff and the customers. Later, the robbers demanded the recording of the CCTV camera and broke the computer to get the hard disk. After getting the recording, they escaped from the bank. Shortly after getting information, the police reached the spot and collected the evidence. According to the police, the robbers arrived there in white Khyber and escaped in it from the spot. Meanwhile, a house was looted in Judicial Colony by a group of dacoits in the limits of Koral police station. The robbers whisked away with cash, gold ornaments and other valuables worth over a million of rupees.— Staff Reporter

HSSC Part-I result today

ISLAMABAD, Aug 18: The result of the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) Part-I annual examination 2011 held under the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) which was held in May would be announced on Friday.The results will be available on the board's website. — APP

Teenaged girl abducted

TAXILA, Aug 18: A teenaged girl was abducted by two persons from a nearby village in the limits of Cantonment police station on Thursday. Her mother reported to the police that her 14-year-old daughter went to Muneer Shah located near her house but she did not return home. She claimed that Mr Shah and Nafees Khan abducted her daughter. Cantonment police registered a case against the accused and started further investigation. —Correspondent

Man killed over enmity

ISLAMABAD, Aug 18: A man was shot dead over an old enmity here on Thursday, police said. The victim was identified as Jamshed Khan, a native of Mardan. Police said he came to the capital a couple of years back to save his life from the family enmity which had already claimed 20 lives. Khan, who worked in Karachi Steel Mills at Sector I-10/3, was returning to his workplace from a nearby shop when two persons intercepted him and shot him in the head, killing him on the spot. The police said the victim was living in Islamabad alone and his family in Mardan was informed about the incident. The family told the police that he had fallen victim to the old enmity. They also nominated two persons in the killing.— Staff Reporter

Woman looted

RAWALPINDI, Aug 18: A woman was deprived of gold jewellery and cash by two gunmen here on Thursday night, police said. Mohammad Azhar was returning home along with his wife Aasia when the couple was intercepted by the gunmen in Gharibabad. The culprits snatched gold rings, two gold bangles and Rs8,000 from the woman. On hearing her hue and cry, her brother-in-law Mohammad Irfan rushed to her rescue from his nearby house and tried to overpower the culprits. “Irfan was shot and injured by the gunmen when he along with his brother Azhar tried to capture the robbers,” the investigating police officer said. He said a Muhafiz squad also reached on the spot but the gunmen escaped after firing into the air. — Staff Reporter

Chicken prices go up

ATTOCK, Aug 18: Chicken prices have shot up to a record high in Ramazan here. On Thursday, live chicken was selling at Rs155 to Rs160 per kg in urban areas while elsewhere it was available at around Rs170 per kg. Last week, chicken was available for Rs145 to Rs150 per kg. It may be noted that before the start of Ramazan, chicken was selling at Rs120 to Rs125 per kg. So far there has been an increase of about Rs50 per kg. The price control committees and special price magistrates seem helpless to control the escalating prices of chicken as the sellers are charging the consumers at their will.— Correspondent

New TMO assumes charge

RAWALPINDI, Aug 18: Newly-appointed Town Municipal Officer (TMO) assumed his charge at the Rawal Town Municipal Administration (RTMA) on Thursday. TMO Rawal Town Mumtaz Ahmed Malik was earlier serving as TMO Potohar Town Municipal Administration (PTMA). Meanwhile, Shahzad Haider, former TMO Rawal Town, has been appointed as Town Officer Planning and Coordination, Chakwal. The officials of the RTMA and office bearers of CBA Municipal United Workers League and Municipal Labor Union called on newly-appointed TMO Rawal Town at his office and welcomed his appointment. They also assured him full support in running the affairs of the town.— A Reporter

Five shopkeepers jailed

TAXILA, Aug 18: As many as five shopkeepers were sent to jail and 34 others were imposed fine during a crackdown launched by the local administration against the profiteers in Taxila and Wah Cantonment on Thursday. Assistant Commissioner Arif Raheem while talking to newsmen said that the local administration launched a special drive to ensure provision of daily use items at controlled prices during the holy month of Ramazan. He said during surprise checking, cases were registered against five shopkeepers and they were sent to jail for profiteering. He said that over 34 shopkeepers were imposed fines of Rs1,52,000 as they were selling daily use items at exorbitant rates. — Correspondent