Woman killed for honour

MANSEHRA, Jan 5: A man allegedly killed his sister-in-law in name of honour in Pales area of Kohistan the other day, police said.

Haibat Khan, ex-nazim of Shar Abad union council of Kohistan, shot dead his sister-in-law, a mother of three children, in the name of honour.

A local told reporters a jirga had declared the slain woman as “Kali” earlier over her allegedly illicit relation.

The Pales police on the complaint of family of the victim woman had lodged FIR against accused but no arrest was made as yet. More than a dozen people, including men and women, have reportedly been killed in the name of honour in Kohistan during last two months.

Meanwhile, a man was killed in Khaki area of Mansehra when unidentified men opened indiscriminate fire on him.

The victim, Mohammad Yousuf, was on way to mosque to offer morning prayers when he was shot dead. —Correspondent

Student granted bail

PESHAWAR, Jan 5: The Peshawar High Court has granted bail to a student charged along with an adult in a case of drug pushing.

A single member bench comprising Justice Yahya Afridi accepted bail petition filed by the accused, Shahbaz, with the condition of furnishing two sureties of Rs500,000 each.

The petitioner’s counsel contended that under the Child Protection and Welfare Act, 2010, the petitioner fell in the definition of “child in need of protection” and he could not be kept behind the bars.

The petitioner was arrested when he was traveling in a Datsun pick-up which was driven by the prime accused, Shah Alam in the jurisdiction of Parang police station, Charsadda, on Dec 10, 2011. The police claimed that around 28kg of heroin was concealed in the said vehicle. —Bureau Report

Shelters for flood affected

PESHAWAR, Jan 5: The UNHCR has completed construction of over 7,000 one-room permanent shelters for flood affected families whose houses were destroyed in the 2010 floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Japanese government had donated $59 million to support UNHCR flood rehabilitation assistance programmes, including the agency’s shelter project, for flood affected Pakistanis and Afghan refugees.

“Japan is one of our biggest donors and has always generously supported our refugee programmes as well as our humanitarian efforts in emergencies,” said a statement quoting Neill Wright, the UNHCR country representative in Islamabad.

UNHCR has planed to build a total of 9,400 one-room shelters for flood affected Pakistanis and some 4,200 shelters for Afghan refugees in the province. —Bureau Report

Peace walk

LAKKI MARWAT, Jan 5: The Sarhad Rural Development Programme, an NGO, organised a walk in Naurang the other day to promote peace and harmony in the society.

Civil society representatives, traders, students, religious leaders and elders participated in the walk. The participants carried banners and placards inscribed with slogans highlighting the importance of peace, religious harmony, indiscrimination, poverty alleviation and democracy.After passing through the GT road the participants gathered in front of the press club building.

Speakers underlined the need for fighting injustices and promote peace in the society.

“Due to institutional breakdown we are facing numerous problems,” they said, adding without people’s involvement in decision making process ‘we cannot fulfill the dream of safe, prosperous and developed Pakistan’. —Correspondent

Hospital without doctor

MANSEHRA, Jan 5: The women of upper parts of Tanawal are without health services as the only civil hospital in the area is without lady doctors for last many years.

“Women patients are suffering a lot when they are taken to hospitals in Mansehra and other parts of the region as post of lady doctor at Lassain Nawab hospital is lying vacant for last many years,” said Asghar Tanoli, while speaking to reporters her on Thursday. Mr Tanoli was heading a delegation from the area. He said the issue was also taken up with the local lawmakers and health officials but to no effect.

They said sometimes women died while being taken to other hospitals because of delivery and other complications.

They demanded of the government to immediately appoint a lady doctor in the hospital. —Correspondent

Bakers warned

TIMERGARA, Jan 5:  Executive district magistrate, Lower Dir, Noor Wali Khan Wazir, on Thursday warned all bakery owners to strictly observe health and hygiene rules while preparing their products otherwise strict action would be taken against them.

Talking to journalists he said formal directives had been issued to traders’ bodies of all major bazaars and markets in the district.

He said the administration had been receiving frequent complaints about dirty kitchens of bakeries and low quality of materials being used to prepare items.

He said district administration along with health staff would launch a crackdown next week against bakers violating the health and hygiene principles. “We will check kitchens, cleanliness and neatness of the staff, raw material meant for bakery items and tools used during our surprise visits,” said Noor Wali, adding a large number of people were suffering health problems after using baked items. —Correspondent

Child protection unit

KOHAT, Jan 5: The first child protection unit established here started working on Thursday.

The officer of the child protection unit Ziaullah Akhunzada told Dawn that the centre had been established under the Child Protection and Welfare Act, 2010 to help the children and create awareness for their rights in the society.

Mr Akhunzada said soon a special number 1122 would be activated which the children, their parents and the community members could use to inform about any victimisation or other crime against children. He said the field staff would identify the problems being faced by the children at the union council level and hold discussion sessions with the elders of the area.

He said the children were future of the country and government was responsible for providing them education, protecting their rights and taking notice of the victimisation at home or in the society. —Correspondent

ZAB birth anniversary

PESHAWAR, Jan 5: PPP activists and leaders celebrated the 84th birth anniversary of former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto on Thursday and paid rich tributes for the services he rendered for welfare of the poor, labourers and shelterless people.

A function was organised at Governor House and the other at Ganj area. The function at the Governor House was presided over by Governor Barrister Masood Kausar. Senior Minister Rahimdad Khan, Population Welfare Minister Saleem Khan, PPP provincial information secretary Syed Ayub Shah, former Peshawar nazim Azam Afridi were among those present. —Bureau Report