Five injured in clash

RAWALPINDI, Aug 26: As many as five persons were injured, one of them seriously, after two groups clashed over the use of fireworks in Tench Bhatta area on Friday, police said.

Preliminary reports suggested that the children of the two groups had a quarrel over use of fireworks in the morning. However, the issue was settled on the intervention of notables of the area.

Again in the night, the elders of the children started quarrelling and pulled out their guns and opened fire on each other. As a result of which at least five persons from both sides were injured.

The injured were shifted to the district headquarters hospital where the condition of Azizullah was stated to be serious.— Staff Reporter

Murree development package

MURREE, Aug 26: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani will announce a development package worth billions of rupees for Murree during his visit to the hilly resort on August 30.

Former MPA and local PPP leader Raja Shafqat Abbasi said this while addressing a press conference here on Friday. He said that the prime minister during his visit would inaugurate the Islamabad-Murree Carriageway constructed by the National Highway Authority (NHA) with the cost of Rs14 billion. He said that under the development package, union councils of Mussiarri, Angoori, Darya Gali and Namble would be provided with the gas facility.

He said that under the package, the regional campus of Allama Iqbal Open University and passport office would be opened in Murree. He said that the announcement would also be made to establish Nisar Satti technical college which was promised by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto with the people of the area. He said that the PM would also write off the small loans of the farmers of the area where heavy rains had damaged the cultivable land and the houses.

It is worth mentioning here that PM Gilani would be the second prime minister after Z A Bhutto who would announce a development package for Murree.— Correspondent

Money for fumigation

RAWALPINDI, Aug 26: The City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) on Friday assured the health department of releasing Rs7 million for the anti-dengue campaign in the district.

Executive District Officer (EDO) Finance and Planning Saqib Mannan gave the assurance at a meeting held to review the arrangements of the fumigation campaign. The meeting was attended by EDO Health Dr Zafar Iqbal Gondal, DO Health Dr Khalid Mehmood Randhawa, Assistant Commissioner Rawalpindi Saif Anwar Jappa, Assistant Commissioner Taxila Arif Raheem, representatives of Rawalpindi and Chaklala Cantonment Boards and other senior officials of CDGR.

Mr Mannan also directed the town municipal administrations of Rawal Town, Potohar, Taxila, Murree, Kotli Sattian, Kahuta, Gujar Khan and Kallar Syedan to purchase fogging machines to fumigate their towns after Eid.

However, the meeting was told that at present only one big and four small fogging machines were available with the health department, not enough for covering the district. The officials decided to buy more machines for the health department.

The EDO said only one patient had died of dengue fever in Rawalpindi, adding he was brought from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. — A Reporter

1,150 liquor bottles seized

RAWALPINDI, Aug 26: An alleged liquor bootlegger was arrested and 1,150 bottles of liquor seized from him during an operation launched by Sadiqabad police on Friday.

Meanwhile, the police also arrested 15 criminals from different areas and recovered 837gram charas, 20 bottles of liquor, five pistols and bullets from their possessions.

The police have registered separate cases against the outlaws and started investigation. — APP

Campaign against beggars

RAWALPINDI, Aug 26: The Child Welfare Protection Bureau in collaboration with the police launched a drive against the child beggars in the city.

The bureau took 33 child beggars into custody and would produce them in the child protection court.

It is worth-mentioning here that the number of child beggars has alarmingly increased in the city during the month of Ramazan. They usually create troubling situation for the people at the main roundabouts, intersections, bus stops, markets and bazaars.

The child protection court has already handed over 43 child beggars to their parents on the condition that they would not be used again for begging.

However, the children after release from the protection courts again indulge in beggary.

Since its inception three years back, the Child Welfare and Protection Bureau has taken 1650 child beggars into custody. — Our Reporter