Man hurt in blast dies

KOHAT, Dec 26: A man, who was injured in a bomb blast outside a clinic in Hangu a few days ago, succumbed to his injuries at a hospital on Monday.

Four people were injured in two remote controlled bomb blasts occurred at the main gate of clinic of lady doctor Asma Waheed in Bahadar Garhi area, last week.

Body of Muqeem Khan was taken to his native village of Anar Chinna in Hangu for burial. The injured included a minor girl Sayam, daughter of Said Badshah, a paramedic Khayal Mohammad and Abdul Lateef.—Correspondent

Businessman recovered

SWABI, Dec 26: The police recovered a kidnapped businessman of Islamabad during a raid on a house and arrested a watchman and an alleged kidnapper here on Monday.

Addressing a press conference, DPO Mohammad Ijaz Khan said Shoaib Butt, owner of a travel agency, was kidnapped when he was on way to his house in Karam Town, Islamabad.

The abductors brought him to Anbar, a village near Swabi interchange on Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway, and confined him there. They demanded Rs2 million ransom for his release. The DPO said the police arrested the watchman and one of the kidnappers during the raid. The police are investigating the case.—Correspondent

Fake currency seized

PESHAWAR, Dec 26: Railways police seized fake currency notes worth Rs122,500 from a person at Cantonment Railways Station on Sunday night.

A police official said during checking of passengers a suspected person was stopped at the platform and upon his body search fake Pakistani currency was recovered from his possession. He said the accused Azeem Sajjad of Thana Walton Lahore had concealed the currency in his shoes. He was trying to get to the economy class of Khyber Mail, but the police arrested him, and a case against him was registered.

Similarly, another accused Abdul Basit of Mohalla Dhok, Swabi had been arrested at Jehangira railway platform. One thousand gram of heroin powder was recovered from him.—Bureau Report

Anti-polio drive

LAKKI MARWAT, Dec 26: The polio refusal cases have been reduced to 31 from 140 since October this year when a polio positive case had surfaced in a village here.

This was disclosed at a ceremony held to open a three-day polio campaign in the district and its adjacent frontier region (FR) on Monday. DCO Nisar Ahmad was the chief guest on the occasion. Health officials informed the meeting that the number of refusal cases were reduced during the campaigns launched over the past two months.—Correspondent

Irrigation projects

PESHAWAR, Dec 26: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister Rahimdad Khan has directed the officials of irrigation department to expedite work on the ongoing uplift schemes, including small dams, and ensure completion of the projects within stipulate period.

While presiding over a high level meeting regarding irrigation department here on Monday, the minister assured provision of funds for the timely completion of these projects.

The minister was informed that Rs5 million had been allocated for construction of small dams in south zone of the province. It was stated that work on 35 schemes was in process and will be completed in 2012. The minister, who has also taken charge of the irrigation department, said every step would be initiated to bring prosperity in the province.—Bureau Report

Poultry dealers warned

PESHAWAR, Dec 26: District administration will take action against office-bearers of the poultry association under 3MPO for increasing chicken prices and circulating the price list in the market without approval of the ration controller.

During a visit to market on Monday, DCO Peshawar Siraj Ahmed expressed anger over the exploitation of consumers at the hands of the wholesalers. He formed a three-member committee to be headed by Special Magistrate Habibullah Arif for submitting a detailed report within three days in this regard.

Earlier, the DCO had ordered arrest of all the office-bearers of the association but the decision was delayed for three days when a delegation of traders came to his office and demanded three days time for bringing down the poultry price. He said the rate would be fixed as per the wholesale market and those found guilty of violations would be sent behind bars.—Bureau Report

Policemen booked

MANSEHRA, Dec 26: Seven ancient sculptures and other broken antiquities seized from four policemen were excavated from a site in Khanpur town of Haripur.

Speaking at a press conference here on Monday, DSP Shinkiary circle Rasool Shah said a case had been registered against the policemen, including a sub-inspector. He said the accused policemen would be formally arrested if found guilty in the departmental inquiry.

He said the antiques were recovered from a house in Jander Banda Street near the Ashoka rocks on Karakoram Highway during a raid. He said a professor of archeology department of Hazara University had examined antiques and confirmed that these pieces were excavated from historic cities in Khanpur.

He said the names of smugglers were being kept secret until the inquiry was completed. He said seized sculptures would be handed over to the Hazara University for its museum.—Correspondent

Literary function

KOHAT, Dec 26: The students of different educational institutions performed at a literary function jointly organised by the Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Al-Khidmat Foundation here on Monday.

The chief guest was the provincial senior vice president of schools officers association and chairman of all government employees’ coordination committee Zahidullah Shah.

Ehsan Kareem of Daffodils Public School, KDA, Kohat excelled in the English debate competition whereas Ehsan Baid got first position in the Urdu debate. In poems Rehmat Ali was adjudged first while in quiz competition Mohammad Usman of Razmak Cadet College grabbed first prize.—Correspondent