Two shot dead in Hangu

KOHAT, Oct 26: A woman and her ten-year-old son were killed allegedly by their rivals over a money dispute in Thall tehsil of Hangu district on Wednesday.

Police officials said that the woman’s family had a money dispute with two Afghan nationals, Islam Badshah and Yousuf. The two allegedly opened fire on the woman, Dial, and her son Mohammad Wali in Sarghunda area of Thall killing both of them on the spot.

The police have registered a case and started investigation.

In another incident, unknown gunmen killed Abdul Hameed in Zanki Banda area in Hangu. Another man, Khalid, was injured in firing on the bypass road. —Correspondent

Hospital MS injured in attack

LANDI KOTAL, Oct 26: The medical superintendent of Agency Headquarters Hospital suffered head injuries when two subordinate staffers attacked him in his office here on Wednesday.

The injured doctor, Dr Zar Alam, was admitted to the intensive care unit of a Peshawar hospital, doctors at AHQ Hospital told Dawn.

They said that a clerk of the Agency Surgeon’s office, Mohammad Ullah, and a vaccinator, Fazlur Rehman, manhandled Dr Zar Alam and hit him with a chair on his head. They said that Dr Alam lost consciousness and was rushed to Hayatabad Medical Complex in critical condition.

Sources said that Dr Zar Alam and the two attackers had a long standing dispute over transfer and posting issue. The political administration arrested both the accused and started investigation. —Correspondent

Reconstruction of schools

KHAR, Oct 26: The government has started reconstruction of schools damaged by Taliban militants during the past two years, said Bajaur Agency Political Agent Islam Zeb here on Wednesday.

“We have started reconstruction of eight schools,” he told reporters during a visit to Bajaur Public School and College. The government, he said was according top priority to reconstruction of schools to enhance the literacy rate in the violence-hit areas of the agency.

“A total of 106 schools have been damaged completely or partially in Bajaur Agency.

We are in contact with the donor organisations to seek funding for reconstruction and repair of the educational institutions,” he said.

The World Bank, he added, had also shown interest in rebuilding the damaged facilities. —Correspondent

Contract teachers

GHALANAI, Oct 26: Contract teachers of Mohmand Agency have demanded of the education department to regularise their services.

All Contract Teachers Association, Mohmand Agency president Usman Ali, general secretary Javed Khan and other leaders told journalists here on Wednesday that the authorities should regularise the services of contract teachers so that they could focus on their duties and give full attention to their profession.

The teachers said that the government had announced in 2008 that the services of contract teachers and other employees from grade-1 to 16 would be regularised on priority basis, but no practical steps were taken to this effect. —Correspondent

Rs1.6m looted at gunpoint

MALAKAND, Oct 26: A gang of robbers snatched Rs1.6 million from six butchers at gunpoint in broad daylight in Sakhakot area here on Wednesday.

Official sources said the robbers, in disguise of passengers, boarded a passenger coach hired by the butchers and stopped it near Mehrde Bridge on Malakand-Mardan Road.

The outlaws looted Rs1.6 million from them and escaped from the scene. Police have registered a case against and started investigation. — APP

PMA central council meets

PESHAWAR, Oct 26: The Pakistan Medical Association Wednesday announced its support to a strong Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and distanced itself from a group of doctors of private medical colleges allegedly manoeuvring to weaken the council and promote their private institutions.

A meeting of the PMA central council held with its president-elect Dr Umar Ayub Khan in the chair took strong exception to the efforts reportedly started by a group of doctors representing private medical colleges to weaken PMDC and promote their business.

The PMA council through a unanimous resolution also expressed its concern over security threats to doctors and demanded an immediate recovery of Dr Tariq Afridi.

The doctors also demanded remuneration of doctors of all cadres at par with Punjab doctors’ salary structure. —Bureau report

Hoti warns officials

PESHAWAR, Oct 26: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has said that the process of development will continue despite meagre resources and added that no stone will be left unturned for qualitative and timely completions of mega projects in the province.

He warned that the government would not tolerate negligence and deficiency on part of the concerned officials and stressed the need for completion of all the uplift schemes within the stipulated time period.

He was chairing a high level meeting at his office here on Wednesday, says a handout. Progress on major schemes concerning health, higher education, professional education, communication, irrigation, public health engineering and sports sectors, provision of resources, confronting difficulties, time-frame, targets and priorities were reviewed in detail during the meeting. —Bureau Report

Rift in ANP Nowshera

NOWSHERA, Oct 26: The announcement of new office-bearers for the local chapter of Awami National Party has created a rift in the party at district level after a group refused to accept the positions and demanded fresh membership drive and party election.

The announcement about the new office-bearers was made by the provincial election committee of the party at Pabbi here on Wednesday.

Ihrar Khattak was declared as the new district president and Ahmad Gul as general secretary, but a rival group led by Haji Dilaram Khan refused to accept the positions.

Later, Ahmad Gul while talking to Dawn said that they were not ready to work with Ihrar Khattak and that was why his group rejected the slots of joint secretaries and vice presidents in the new party set-up. —Correspondent