Man attempts suicide

ATTOCK, Oct 31: A man was seriously injured presumably during a suicide attempt in a net cafe at Qutba chowk market of Hazro police station on Monday.

Police sources said a net cafe owner informed police that a man, Mohammad Amin, arrived at his net cafe at about 1pm and went inside cabin no. 6 for using internet. After few minutes, he saw fire and immediately rushed to the cabin where Mr Amin was found seriously injured.

On information Rescue-1122 and police officials reached the spot and removed the injured to the local hospital, however his condition was reported very critical. Police in their preliminary investigations have  assumed that the accused had attempted  suicide due to unsuccessful love affair as the beginning letter of the name of a girl ‘S’ and some other words were found written  near the cafe’s computer, however further investigation was underway.—Correspondent

QM lawmaker sworn in

MUZAFFARABAD, Oct 31: Mohammad Tahir Khokhar, one of the two MQM lawmakers in the AJK Legislative Assembly, was sworn in as AJK minister here on Monday.

AJK President Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob Khan administered oath to Mr Khokhar at Aiwan-i-Sadar here. He has not been allotted any portfolio as yet. Elected from a Kashmiri refugees’ constituency in Pakistan, Mr Khokhar was minister for tourism in two of the four governments that replaced each other in the previous Legislative Assembly in five years.

Interestingly, although serious questions were raised over some of his allegedly ‘fishy’ steps in the tourism ministry in the past, including holding of controversial charity shows, he was however most likely to get the same portfolio on return of Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed from a foreign tour. Sources claimed that the other MQM legislator, Mohammad Salim Butt, would also be inducted in the cabinet shortly. — Staff Correspondent

Governance support project

ISLAMABAD, Oct 31: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Barrister Masood Kausar on Monday launched a governance support project aimed at improving the delivery efficiency of the Post-Crisis Need Assessment Progamme through institutional strengthening and support to the provincial and Fata line departments.

The $6 million project will be completed by the year 2014-15 and also respond to priority needs defined under the PCNA governance programme.

Speaking on the occasion, Governor Kausar said the government could not ignore the fact that people in the province and the tribal belt were poor and needed peace and economic opportunities to stand on their own feet.

“The social sector institutions are not responsive to the ever-growing needs; either these institutions are under-utilised or simply not there.”

He enumerated the government’s success stories in Swat and tribal areas and added that the use of force cannot end up with total success unless supported by a multi-faceted peace building strategy. — Our Reporter

Security for Sikh yatrees

TAXILA, Oct 31: Multi-layered security would be provided to the Sikh pilgrims visiting Gurdwara Punja Sahib in connection with the birth celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak in Hassanabdal.

District Police Officer Dr Akhter Abbas told newsmen on Monday that scanners would be installed at the temples to provide security to the pilgrims, adding elite police commandos and lady police officials would also be deployed to ensure safety and security of the Sikh pilgrims. He said over 1,000 policemen would perform security duties on the occasion.

Over 50 security cameras and walk-through gates have been installed at the gurdwara. The DPO said surveillance of local markets, bus stands and railway station as well as nearby places would also be intensified before and during the arrival of the yatrees.— Correspondent

Violence against women

MURREE, Oct 31: A declamation contest among the female and male students of various government and private schools of Murree and adjoining areas was held here on Sunday.

The topic of the contest was ‘Violence against women and violation of women rights’.

Komal Zia of Hira School Ban secured first position, Kazima Sarfraz of Government Girls School New Murree bagged second and Muhammad Usman Abbasi of Government High School Murree landed third at the end of the contest.The speech contest was organized by Social Welfare Department Punjab with collaboration of various non-governmental organizations working for women rights in the mountainous areas.

Aftab Raja deputy district officer social welfare Rawalpindi was the chief guest and renowned scholars Prof Tariq Habib Khan, Ahmad Zaman Loan, representatives of NGOs, educationists and social workers attended the contest and appreciated the standard and quality of speeches delivered by young participants on a rather difficult and sensitive topic. — Correspondent