Man gunned down

MARDAN, March 6: A man was killed while his brother received critical bullet injuries when their rivals opened fire over them on Mardan-Nowshera road on Tuesday, locals and police said.

The officials of city police station quoted the injured person Zar Zaman as saying he along with his brother was on way to some work when their rivals attacked them, killing his brother Shahi Zaman and injuring him. The motive behind the incident was stated to be a dispute between women of the two families. Case was registered against Dilsoz, Nizar Ali, Ahmad Ali, Ilyas Ali and Nasir.

Meanwhile, a house was partially damaged when explosives planted by unidentified militants exploded in Dhery Kalpani area of Katlang. —Correspondent

Six injured on road

NOWSHERA, March 6: Six people were injured when a motorcycle collided with a van here on Tuesday.

Police said the van (TP-2396) of PAF collided with the motorcycle and overturned near Risalpur, injuring six people. They were identified as driver Wajid, Aminul Haq, Amjad, Shaukat, Sufaid Khan and Tahsinullah. They were taken to hospital. —Correspondent

Policemen booked

MARDAN, March 6: District and sessions judge Mardan on Tuesday ordered registration of FIR against personnel of Shah Bazgari police station for torturing a lawyer of district bar association a few days ago.

After the torture of lawyer Aftab at the hands of policemen the office-bearers of the bar association called a meeting which condemned the police action and demanded stern action against the policemen involved in the incident.

Acting on the complaint of Aftab advocate, the district and sessions judge Malik Mujtaba ordered the police high-ups to register FIR against the personnel. —Correspondent

Senate tickets controversy

PESHAWAR, March 6: Peoples Youth Organisation (PYO) on Tuesday rejected the allegations that the PPP ministers had any role in allotment of the senate tickets and said every worker had to accept the decisions taken by party leadership.

Speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday PYO Peshawar Division general secretary Akhtar Munir Dagai said the provincial ministers Ahmad Hussain Shah and Shuja Salim Khan had not opposed any of the candidates.

He said distribution of Senate election tickets was the responsibility of central leadership, while the MPAs and MNAs had to accept the decision.

“Withdrawing of the Senate ticket given to Shamroz Khan was the decision of the central leadership and no provincial minister had any role in this regard,” he said. —Bureau Report

Gujars threaten protest

CHITRAL, March 6: The Gujar community of Chitral has threatened to start protest movement if the government didn’t rein an influential person from harassing them with the connivance of the police.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, the elders of the community, Sher Mohammad (former union nazim), Haji Anzar Gul, Sarfaraz Shah, Amir Malik and others, alleged the influential person had got a number of community members arrested by police on charges of involvement in terrorist activities.

They said the people of Puret Gol of Sheshi Koh valley had a dispute with the personality over the ownership of deodar forest and for this reason he was trying to get them evicted from the area. —Correspondent

Liquidity crunch

PESHAWAR, March 6: Businessmen, attending a seminar at State Bank of Pakistan here on Tuesday, urged it to help small and medium enterprises overcome liquidity crunch by making banks to issue loans in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to a Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry press release, the businessmen asked the central bank’s officers to look into the problems faced by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s small and medium enterprises due to the commercial banks’ policy of not issuing loans to them under the pretext of deteriorating security situation.

The SCCI’s vice-president Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi apprised the SBP authorities about the consequences of the banks’ reluctance to issue loans in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, exposing them to experience liquidity crunch. He said the central bank should make the banks to revise their Khyber Pakhtunkhwa specific policy. —Bureau Report

Two with arms arrested

PESHAWAR, March 6: Police on Tuesday seized a consignment of arms and ammunition and arrested alleged smugglers in limits of Chamkani police station on Tuesday.

An official said police during a naka bandi signaled a Suzuki pick-up bearing registration (RIA-9173) and on search recovered valuable weapons from its secret cavities.

The weapons include 33 automatic repeaters, 24 pistols and 21,000 cartridges of different bores.

The accused, Hayat Khan of Chamkani and Abdul Manan of Chitral were arrested on the spot. Case against the accused was registered at Chamkani police station.

Meanwhile, Tehkal police also recovered a stolen car (ASP-699) and arrested two accused, who were identified as Shakeel and Mushtaq of Peshawar. —Bureau Report

Man shot dead

PESHAWAR, March 6: An elderly man was killed and three women were injured when their opponents opened fire on the car they were traveling in near Haji Camp here on Tuesday.

An official of the Paharipura police station said Shakeel Ahmed of Tarnab Charsadda along with his relatives was on way from Abbottabad to Peshawar that his enemies shot him dead near the bus stand.

One Farmanullah, who is father-in-law of the deceased, told police Akhtar of the same village and his relatives were involved in the murder of Shakeel. He said both the rivals had an old enmity. The police said the accused could not be arrested so far. —Bureau Report

Fata students hold demo

PESHAWAR, March 6: The students of Kurram Agency on Tuesday held a protest demonstration at Sher Shah Suri Road against the closure of educational institutions in the region. They demanded of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor to restore educational activities in the area.

The students led by Kurram Students Union president Mohammad Habib also shouted slogans for opening of the schools and colleges.

Talking to media persons he said the education director in the agency was creating problems for the students and demanded replacement of the official. He demanded of the government to facilitate the students by providing them scholarships on time and free computers. —Bureau Report