Two brothers shot dead

HARIPUR, Sept 19: Two brothers were shot dead while their father was injured when their relatives opened fire on them in Gehriyan village on Monday.

Kotnajibullah police said there was a dispute over the possession of a room in a house between the families of Ayub and Munawar Khan who were relatives.

On Monday morning, Munawar and his son Tasawar entered the house of Ayub and asked him to vacate the room but he refused, which led to an altercation.

Later, Munawar and Tasawar opened fire on Ayub, his sons Riasat and Nawaz, injuring them seriously. The injured were shifted to DHQ hospital Haripur but Nawaz and Riasat died on the way.

Riasat was stated to be son-in-law of Munawar, who was arrested while Tasawar was still at large.—Correspondent

Two killed on road

NOWSHERA, Sept 19: Two persons were killed and another was injured when two dumper trucks collided with each other on Monday.

Police said the dumper trucks, loaded with sand, collided at Mian Essa village. Driver Khan Mohammad and cleaner Akbar Khan, both residents of Dag Besud, were killed on the spot. The injured was identified as Suleman.—Correspondent

NAB hears public complaints

CHITRAL, Sept 19: A team of National Accountability Bureau, Peshawar chapter, headed by its director, on Monday heard public complaints of corruption in different government departments to carry out a detailed investigation.

Sources said most of the complaints were lodged against the departments of food, communication and works, irrigation and forest.

The NAB team heard the complaints about the illegal cutting of trees in the Acholga forest of Chitral allegedly with the connivance of the provincial government and the forest department.

It was complained influential timber mafia was denuding the forest and transporting the timber to the down districts causing rapid degradation of environment.

A complaint was also lodged regarding bungling in the carriage contract of wheat in the food department.—Correspondent

Anti-polio campaign

UPPER DIR, Sept 19: The expanded programme on immunisation (EPI) on Monday launched a special anti-polio campaign in which children below the age of five years would be vaccinated.

Addressing a press conference to mark the start of the drive, NRDF’s Sahibzada Izharullah urged parents to ensure vaccination of their children against the crippling disease.

“I request parents to save the future of their children and contribute to making a healthy generation,” he said, urging religious scholars to use mosques for convincing parents to administer polio vaccine to their children. He said the ulema could play an important role in eradicating polio from the district.

Dr Nazar Mohammad, in-charge EPI Upper Dir, said the special polio campaign would cover only eight union councils.—Correspondent

Dengue awareness walks

KARAK, Sept 19: The TMAs of Karak and Banda Daud Shah on Monday organised separate walks to create awareness among the people about the dengue virus and to observe a cleanliness week.

The cleanliness drive in Karak tehsil was kicked off by the DCO Mohammad Zubair Khan, while the campaign in Banda Daud Shah was opened by TMO Zahidullah Khattak.

Pamphlets were also distributed among the people to raise awareness about the dengue virus.

The DCO said the spread of diseases, particularly dengue virus, could be checked by taking precautionary measures and eliminating the breeding places of mosquitoes.

Meanwhile, body of an unidentified man was found in Kunghara area on Monday. The police said the victim, about 40, was shot dead and the body was dumped at a deserted place.—Correspondent

Donations for charity school

MANSEHRA, Sept 19: The provincial government and the international cyclists, who participated in the Himalayan International Mountain Bike Race, have announced donations for the Kaghan Memorial Trust.

The donations were announced during a ceremony held in Shogran at the end of the race on Sunday night. The provincial Minister of Sports and Tourism Syed Aqil Shah announced Rs2 million on behalf of the chief minister for the trust, which is running a charity school for under-privileged children of Balakot tehsil at Kawai. Provincial Minister for Industry Syed Ahmad Hussain Shah also announced Rs1 million for the trust.

The cyclists from 11 countries donated $1,800 and also took the responsibility of educating five schoolchildren. They would pay an amount of Rs45,000 for each child annually.—Correspondent

Increase in salary demanded

PESHAWAR, Sept 19: The Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (Fapuasa) on Tuesday expressed concern over non-implementation of the decision of the government regarding increase in their salaries announced in the budget.

According to a press release issued here Fapuasa president Prof Dr Fida Mohammad also accused the vice-chancellors of the universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of sitting on the issue.

He said the VCs had deprived the university employees of their legitimate right by not paying increases in the salary.

He demanded of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Barrister Masood Kausar, who is chancellor of the public sector universities, to intervene and ensure prompt payment of increases in salaries.—Bureau Report

Student seeks govt help

PESHAWAR, Sept 19: A polio-affected student from Charsadda, whose house was washed away by the last year’s flash floods, has sought the government’s support to continue his study and arrange his sisters’ marriages.

Talking to media persons here on Monday Farhad Ali of Turlandi village, who is doing BSc at a local government college, said his aged father could not afford routine expenditures through his daily wage.

“I have one brother studying in FSc but owing to poverty he is also unable to complete his studies,” he said and added he had two sisters who were in the age of marriage but poverty forced them to sit at home.

He appealed to the prime minister, the president and other well-off people to help him financially.—Bureau Report