Motorcyclist killed

LAKKI MARWAT, Oct 27: A motorcyclist was killed when a pick-up van knocked him down on Tajori road in the limits of Tajori police on Wednesday night.

The victim, Khalid Wahab, a WHO campaign support person, was going to his village on his motorbike after attending a meeting of the health department on anti-polio drive, when he was hit.

Meanwhile, Al-Shifa Eye Trust Hospital of Kohat held a free eye camp in Paharkhel Thall village on Thursday.

Doctors examined over 200 eye patients in the camp and advised ten patients free eye surgery in the trust’s hospital in Kohat. The patients were also provided free of cost medicines. —Correspondent

20 shops gutted

PESHAWAR, Oct 27: At least 20 shops were gutted and 60 people received minor burn injuries when a shopping plaza caught fire late on Wednesday night, rescuers said. A spokesman of the Rescue 1122 said the fire broke out in a shop in Firdous plaza at Ashraf Road which engulfed the other shops.

The rescuers, shopkeepers and police put out the fire after hectic efforts. However, some 20 shops were gutted and over 60 people received minor burn injuries during the rescue operation. They were discharged after first aid at Lady Reading Hospital. —Bureau Report

Five injured on road

KOHAT, Oct 27: Five boys were injured seriously when two cars collided head-on on the Indus Highway near Kohat Tunnel toll plaza on Thursday.

A car (AMF-774), going to Peshawar from Bannu, hit another car (LOF-9696) coming from opposite side.

The police said injured were taken to KDA divisional headquarters hospital from where doctors referred three of them to Peshawar in serious condition.

The Bilitang police station registered a case against the drivers of both the cars.

Meanwhile, an old man, who was killed during firing by dacoits in Karachi, was laid to rest in his native Surgul area on Thursday. The police said Rambel Khan, 55, was shot dead by dacoits when he resisted in Korangi, Karachi. —Correspondent

Students hold demo

PESHAWAR, Oct 27: The students of the University of Science and Technology of Bannu on Thursday held a protest demonstration at Sher Shah Suri Road near Peshawar Press Club against the government for, what they described, using delaying tactics to affiliate the university with Pakistan Engineering Council. They appealed to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Barrister Masood Kausar to resolve the issue.

The students were holding banners and placards inscribed with demands for affiliation of the university with PEC so that the degree holders could get jobs in different government and private organisations.

A student leader, Atteeq-ur-Rehman, told media persons the university had been established in 2005 but it was yet to be affiliated with the PEC and one batch of students had completed their studies but unable to get jobs due to non-affiliation. —Bureau Report

PTI elects dist presidents

PESHAWAN, Oct 27: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf has announced presidents in five districts of the province.

Syed Ishtiaq Ali Shah and Zafarullah Khattak have been made presidents of district Peshawar and the Peshawar city, while Altaf Qadir, Dr Amjad and Noor Awaz will head the party in Karak, Kohat and Hangu districts, respectively.

A press release issued by the party media cell here on Thursday said that province-wide party elections would complete in a fortnight.

“In a meeting held in September the provincial cabinet was dissolved and organising committees were formed to nominate presidents and cabinets in consultation with the workers at the union council, tehsil, district and province level,” informed Zafarullah Khattak while talking to Dawn. —Bureau Report

Lightning kills cattle

MANSEHRA, Oct 27: Lightning struck a cattle pen in the Torghar district, killing at least 30 goats and sheep on Wednesday night. Residents said the cattle pen was owned by one Khushal Khan.

Khushal Khan told reporters in Oghi that he and his family remained unhurt as they were in a house next to the cattle pen. —Correspondent

Arms seized in Lakki

LAKKI MARWAT, Oct 27: Police claimed to have recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from a car in Darra Pezu here the other day.

Acting on a tip-off, the Haibat Ali Khan police officials started checking of vehicles to foil the weapons’ smuggling attempt to down country.

An official said that police stopped a car coming from Bannu near Wanda Banochi on Indus Highway for search and recovered six Kalashnikov, a pistol and ammunition. The police impounded the car and arrested an accused identified as Gul Tayyaz.

Meanwhile, a member of the core committee of National Research and Development Foundation (NRDF), Mufti Ihsanullah launched a fumigation campaign in a remote Meer Azam Michenkhel village. —Correspondent

Exam date extended

PESHAWAR, Oct 27: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Technical Education has notified that due to unpredictable dates of Eid-ul-Azha the supplementary examination of the diploma of associate engineering, 2011 scheduled to start from Nov 10 would now commence from Nov 16.

The revised date sheet has been sent to all the concerned institutions and allotted examination centres, according to a press release issued by the assistant controller examination of the Board of Technical Education. —Bureau Report

Mills workers protest

PESHAWAR, Oct 27: The employees of Rehman Cotton Mills, Takht Bahi, Mardan, on Thursday observed a token hunger strike at a camp set up along Sher Shah Suri Road against the sacking of their colleagues.

The protesters had displayed banners and placards inscribed with demands for reinstatement of the workers. The protestors said the mills’ administration had suspended senior office-bearers of the workers’ union on baseless allegations.

Those suspended included Sherzada, a senior vice-president, Haji Yaqoob Khan vice president, Mukader Shah joint secretary, Ikram Uddin and others. These workers were suspended some four months ago.

The workers alleged that responsible officers in the labour department were drawing salaries in the name of workers but the government had become a silent spectator on the issue. —Bureau Report