Two killed, trader robbed

RAWALPINDI, March 9: A man was shot dead by a gunman in Airport police area while a woman was killed after being run over by a vehicle in Westridge on Friday, police said.

Ghulam Sadiq, 70, was on way to home when was shot at by an gunman near Fizaya Colony. Police said the motive behind the murder seemed to be an old enmity.

Meanwhile, Munawar Jan, 26, was killed while her husband was injured after being hit by a truck at Pirwadhai roundabout on Peshawar Road.

Meanwhile, an iron merchant was robbed of Rs440,000 by four gunmen at City Sadar Road, police said. — Staff Reporter

Lawyers observe black day

ISLAMABAD, March 9: The lawyers’ fraternity in twin cities observed black day on Friday to mark the 5th anniversary of the ouster of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on March 9, 2007 by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.

The bar associations namely Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA), Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) Rawalpindi registry, district bar associations of Islamabad and Rawalpindi observed the black day on the call of Punjab Bar Council (PbBC).

The high court and district bar associations in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi hoisted black flags and held meetings to denounce the ouster of CJP.— A Reporter

SHO suspended

ATTOCK, March 9: Station house officer (SHO) of Hasanabdal Sadder police station was suspended by the district police headquarters after one of his educational certificates was found fake, it has been learnt.

The forgery was unearthed during departmental verification. Police sources informed Dawn that recently the Punjab police department had sent the academic certificates and   degrees of the police officials to their respective educational institutions for verification.

Such step was taken after receiving the reports about the police recruitments on bogus educational certificates and degrees, sources said.

During verification, the Intermediate certificate of Inspector Mohammad Aslam was found fake, they said.  After receiving the information at the district police headquarters from the respective Intermediate board, the concerned SHO was suspended    besides initiating a departmental inquiry under the supervision of SP Investigation Attock, sources maintained.— Our Correspondent

Robbers gangs busted

ISLAMABAD, March 9: Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) busted four gangs of criminals allegedly involved in robberies, vehicle snatching and theft incidents, a spokesman for the police said on Friday. The police also recovered looted items worth millions of rupees from their possession.

Following the instructions of the high-ups, CIA launched a comprehensive campaign and arrested Amir Khan, Jabin Khan, and Ameen Khan for their alleged involvement in an incident of car snatching from Wali Khan after kidnapping his driver. CIA police also recovered the vehicle and started further investigation from them.

Two other gangs of robbers comprising Mohammad Yousuf, Mohammad Arsahd, Shaukat Ali, and Niamat Khan were also busted. They confessed their involvement in robberies in the area of Shalimar and Shahzad Town police stations.

Another gang of thieves were arrested and stolen items worth millions of rupees were recovered from them. The arrestees were identified as Asif Masih, Khalid Masih and Abid Khan.Meanwhile, Aabpara police arrested Faryad Masih after recovering 15 bottles of wine from him.

Likewise, Golra and Tarnol police recovered a 30-bore pistol each from Abid Yousuf and Mohammad Aleem.

Similarly, Tarnol, Sabzi Mandi and Shahzad Town police arrested three drug peddlers, Mohammad Ejaz, Liaquat Ali and Ibadat Khan after recovering hashish weighing 725grams, 510grams and one kilogram from their possession respectively.— Staff Reporter

Tree plantation

ISLAMABAD, March 9: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) will plant around 100,000 saplings during the current spring season across the country with the support of different municipal institutions.

The campaign would continue even after the spring season to promote the concept of ‘Green Pakistan’, said Prof. Dr. Nazir Ahmed Sangi, Vice-Chancellor AIOU while inaugurating the spring tree plantation drive by planting a sapling of ‘orange’ on the premises of academic complex of the university. Dr. Sangi said the services of volunteer students of AIOU would be utilised to achieve the tree plantation target.

The university, he said, would coordinate with local governments to ensure maximum tree plantation in the country. Prof. Dr. Nowshad Khan, Chairman Department of Agricultural Sciences and Prof. Dr. Syed Abdul Siraj, Director Regional Services of the University will supervise the campaign. — A Reporter