School destroyed in Charsadda

CHARSADDA, Dec 28: Unknown miscreants blew up a government-run girls’ school here on Wednesday.

Residents and police said that unknown miscreants planted an improvised explosive device (IED) at the building of government primary school for girls at Tahir Shah Kalli (Samnat) which exploded with a big bang. As a result the one-room primary school building and its boundary wall was destroyed.

The Saro Kalli police station has lodged an FIR against unknown persons and started investigation. — Correspondent

Man recovered

LANDI KOTAL, Dec 28: The khasadar force recovered an abducted person and arrested two kidnappers before demolishing the house of captors in Jamrud tehsil on Wednesday.

Officials said that the khasadar party headed by Assistant Political Agent Mohammad Jameel raided a house in Mandato village of Ghundi area after receiving credible information about the presence of an abducted person.

They said that the alleged kidnappers had kept the abducted person, Saifur Rehman, in a dry well in the compound of the house.

Khasadars arrested Qadar Jan and Maroof Khan and later destroyed the house with explosives. Officials said that Qadar made Saifur Rehman captive to force him to write off a Rs1.2 million loan. He remained in unlawful captivity for almost a month. —Correspondent

Substandard gas cylinders

PESHAWAR, Dec 28: During a drive against substandard gas cylinders, a trader was arrested for selling repaired cylinders at Charsadda Road here on Wednesday.

A statement issued from the office of Peshawar DCO, it was stated that the administration had launched a campaign against substandard CNG cylinders and detected that many people were involved in the illegal business.

A team of officials, of labour and industries departments led by the DCO raided different outlets and filling stations and also checked the weight of CNG being provided to the motorists.

The DCO said that those people dealing in substandard cylinders were playing with the lives of people.

He asked the people to inform the administration on its telephone number 9212305 if anyone had any information in this regard. —Bureau Report

Woman dies on road

LAKKI MARWAT, Dec 28: A woman was killed and several others wounded when a pickup fell into a deep ravine in the mountainous area of tribal region here on Wednesday.

According to reports, the ill-fated pickup was carrying passengers from Azadkhel to Gazgoba. When it reached near Ping Azadkhel locality of FR Lakki, the driver reportedly lost the control and as a result the vehicle overturned and fell into a ravine.

The deceased was identified as Nazra Bibi. The injured were taken to civil hospital Tajori wherefrom some were referred to Bannu in precarious condition.

Meanwhile, police claimed to have busted a gang of gamblers in Titterkhel village in the jurisdiction of Ghaznikhel police station. —Correspondent

Youth training programme

PESHAWAR: Dec 28: Refugees Affected and Hosting Areas Programme, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has imparted training to 120 youth in different skills under the European Union-funded project.

Under the programme, unemployed youth, including women, were selected for different training from the target union councils in Nowshera, Peshawar and Haripur districts, said a press release issued here on Wednesday.

It was stated that the training had been launched on Nov 26 with an aim to create dignified employment opportunities for men and women in the target union councils.

Under the programme, six trainings on mobile repairing, computer and beautician skills, keeping in view the community needs, were being imparted to turn labourers into skilled workers to facilitate them to earn livelihood for themselves in a dignified manner. —Bureau Report

Swabi journalist dies

SWABI, Dec 28: Baz Mohammad, a local journalist and an important member of Swabi Union of Journalists, breathed his last here on Wednesday after a brief illness.

He remained attached to various Urdu dailies. At present he was working as district correspondent for Islamabad-based Urdu daily Pakistan. Doctors said that Baz Mohammad was suffering from malaria.

He was later buried in his ancestral graveyard at Shahmansoor. People from all walks of life including politicians, media persons, and government functionaries attended his funeral prayers.

He has left behind a widow, three sons and two daughters.

Meanwhile, the members of Gandhara Union of Journalists and Abaseen Union of Journalists expressed deep sorrow over his sudden death. They offered Fateha and prayed for the departed soul. —Correspondent

Chitral development

CHITRAL, Dec 28: The elites of Mulkhow union council, upper Chitral, have extolled Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) for its valuable accomplishment in the development of basic infrastructure of communication and water supply in the area during the last 10 years.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Azizur Rahman, Sher Ahmed, Ajazul Haq, Hafeezur Rahman and others said that the chief executive officer of SRSP, Shahzada Masoodul Mulk, has paid serious attention to this backward area and completed hundreds of development schemes in different sectors since its inception in 2001.

They said that the organisation not only provided them with funds for development but also inculcated in the people a vision and spirit of collective development through community participation. —Correspondent

Skiing festival in Swat

SWAT, Dec 28: Army has decided to arrange a skiing festival in February 2012 followed by a cultural show in July for the tourists in a bid to restore the lost grandeur of the scenic Swat valley.

This was announced by Commanding Officer, Colonel Aslam Nisar Butter here on Wednesday.

He said army was taking special initiatives for restoring cultural activities in the militancy-hit valley besides restoration of peace and development of the district.

The skiing festival will be held at Malam Jabba skiing resort in which players and guests from across the country will be invited.

Similarly, the cultural show will be held in July at Grassi Ground in which artists from other parts of the country will be invited to perform in the week-long extravaganza. —APP