NEWS IN BRIEF

Published March 3, 2012

Two girls shot dead

NOWSHERA, March 3: Two young girls were shot dead allegedly in separate honour-related incidents here on Saturday.

In the first incident, hospital sources said a 16-year-old girl, who had died of bullet injuries to her head, was brought to the district headquarters hospital by her father saying she committed suicide by shooting herself after her divorce.

In the other incident, a 15-year-old girl was brought to the DHQ hospital by her relatives saying she committed suicide.

However, police quoting autopsy reports of the two girls said one of the girls was shot at from back side, while the other was fired upon from a distance. The police said both girls were killed over honour issue.

The Nowshera Kalan and Akora Khattak police stations registered FIRs and started investigations.—Correspondent

Land dispute claims life

SWABI, March 3: A man was killed and his brother was seriously injured when rival parties exchanged fire over a land dispute here on Saturday, said the police.

The rivals belonging to Karnal Sher Khan Kili had a dispute over a piece of land in Mal Lara area. The elders of the area failed to settle their dispute peacefully. On Saturday, following exchange of hot words they resorted to heavy gunfire. Two brothers, Mohammad Ali and Farhad Ali, were seriously injured. The former was shifted to district headquarters hospital Mardan and the latter to DHQ hospital Swabi. Later, Mohammad Ali succumbed to injuries.

Before his death, Mr Ali told police Naeem Khan and Murad Ali opened fire over them. The Kalu Khan police registered an FIR against them.

Meanwhile, two minor girls were injured seriously when a speedy motorcycle hit them in Maini bazaar.—Correspondent

Hunger strike called off

CHITRAL, March 3: The hunger strike of the villagers of Sarghuz was called off here on Saturday.

The villagers, including women and children, had started the hunger strike at Mastuj bazaar to protest against the apathetic attitude of the government towards the imminent danger of their village being wiped out by the river which had changed its course.

The strike was called off when the local MPA Haji Ghulam Mohammad provided them with Rs200,000 to start work on diverting the course of the river. Chitral DCO Rahmatullah Wazir also assured them of including the project in the annual development programme.

Two of the strikers reportedly fainted due to the intense cold in the camp which had been established in the open yard.—Correspondent

Horse trading alleged

KARAK, March 3: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf leader Rustam Shah Mohmand has alleged that worst horse-trading was done in the Senate election throughout the country, while the Balochistan chief minister spent Rs650 million of government exchequer on the purchase of assembly members. He was speaking at a public meeting held at Bahadarkhel here on Saturday. On this occasion, ANP leader Col (retd) Khalid Usman resigned from his party and announced to join the PTI.

The PTI leader said the role of the parliament was zero in bringing any change in the fate of the masses. He said the problems of the common man were increasing, while the rulers were bent upon increasing their own bank accounts.

Former MNA and PTI leader Shamsur Rehman Khattak said despite huge funds the basic problems of tehsil Banda Daud Shah could not be resolved.—Correspondent

Retired officers’ problems

LAKKI MARWAT, March 3: The Retired Government Officers Association, Lakki chapter, held a meeting here on Saturday to discuss the problems being faced by the ex-government officials.

President of the association Haji Zarwali Khan, a retired college teacher, presided over the meeting. The participants flayed the government for not paying heed to their problems.

They said step-motherly treatment was being meted out to retired employees besides it had become difficult for them to make both ends meet with meager monthly pension. “The government should announce 100 per cent increase in monthly pension as the retired employees were unable to buy daily use commodities,” they maintained.

Demanding restoration of commuted pension they asked the government to shift the pension files of the retired employees to the accounts offices of their home districts.—Correspondent

Woes of SWA tribesmen

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, March 3: The tribesmen of South Waziristan Agency on Sunday deplored the indifferent attitude of political administration.

Talking to this scribe, the tribesmen complained that most of the officials remained absent from their duties causing hindrance in disposing of certain affairs concerning the tribesmen. Criticising the attitude of officials, tribal elders Malik Ahmmad Din, Malik Raishmeen Khan, Malik Sabir Gul and others said tribesmen were confronted with numerous problems. They also pointed out that Levies personnel were not being paid salaries which had added to the hardships of low-paid security personnel.

The elders demanded of the governor to take stock of the lethargic attitude of the officials and issue directives for release of salaries to levies force.—Correspondent

Seminar on crystallography

TIMERGARA, March 3: A seminar was organised on Saturday by the departments of chemistry and physics of the University of Malakand on the topic “data collection and structure refinement of a single crystal by XRD”.

The invited guest was Prof Dr Mohammad Nawaz Tahir, chairman of the department of physics, University of Sargodha.  He delivered an informative lecture on crystallography and its applications in chemistry, according to a press release.  Faculty members of various departments and students participated in the seminar.

At the end, Prof Dr Rasheed Ahmad, chairman of the department of chemistry, gave Dr Tahir vote of thanks and Dr Iftikhar Ahmad, chairman, department of physics, presented him a shield on behalf of the University of Malakand.—Correspondent

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