Tax return procedure

ABBOTTABAD, Aug 23: The newly modified sales tax return is causing problems for the people to e-file their monthly returns.

Sales tax return, which was supposed to be filed before 15th August, could not be filed in time as the new return was made available on 18th August, just on the last working day before Eid.

On Thursday, the first working day after Eid, sales tax returns filers faced problems as this time the FBR has made mandatory some of columns to be filled with a special ‘HS’ code which is not easily available on the website.

A tax consultant Masood Akhter said FBR every year re-designed the sales tax return and it took at least two to three months  to clear the problems faced by the filers.

President of Hazara tax bar association Agha Shabbir demanded extension in sales tax returns date up to 15th September. —Correspondent

Two injured in festive firing

LAKKI MARWAT, Aug 23: Two young boys sustained bullet injuries in festive firing after a Kabaddi match in Abakhel on Thursday evening.

“As soon as the match ended firing in the air started to celebrate the victory,” eyewitnesses said. They said two boys were injured as a result of festive firing and were taken to city hospital. “The wounded boys were identified as Irfan and Irfanullah.

They were in stable condition.

Meanwhile, a teenaged boy was electrocuted in Baistkhel village on Thursday.

Haroon Khan, 18, was trying to restore power supply from a transformer through a wooden rod when suddenly an electric shock hit him.

He was taken to a hospital in Naurang town where he was pronounced dead. —Correspondent

Power production in KP

PESHAWAR, Aug 23: Minister for Agriculture Arbab Mohammad Ayub Jan has said work on 24 hydel power projects is underway which will help generate 2,100 megawatt electricity.

He said electricity generated through these projects would not be given to the centre and would be used to overcome loadshedding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said with generation of surplus electricity industrialisation and economic activities would get boost as power would be available at cheaper rates, adding opportunities of investment would also increase.

The minister claimed ANP had fulfilled the commitments it had made during the elections about identity, control on the local resources and the provincial autonomy.

Referring to the destruction in Nowshera and Peshawar by the flash floods, the minister said Rs300 million would be spent on expansion of Bara River and construction of protection walls to protect the fertile agriculture land and lives of people in these districts. —Bureau Report

Man swept away by flood

KHAR, Aug 23: A man was swept away while crossing a river here on Thursday.

According to locals, Najibullah, 46, was swept away by flash floods while crossing a river at Maina area of Mamond tehsil. Locals found his body and handed him over to relatives.

Meanwhile, seven people, including two women, were seriously wounded when a pick-up van they were travelling in plunged into a deep ravine at Kota area of Barang tehsil.

The locals said the passenger vehicle bound for the remote area of Ghar Shaamozi from Kota went out of the driver’s control due to its brake failure and fell into a deep ravine.

The wounded persons were identified as Khan Zada, Sait Khan, Peer Mohammad, Sultan Ghani, Ganat Gull, Khista Lala and Taj Bibi.

Locals took the injured to hospital in Dargai area of Malakand Agency as the main road between Khar and Barang had been damaged. —Correspondent

Man commits suicide

MINGORA, Aug 23: A man allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself with ceiling fan in Tahirabad area.

Police said Iqbal Hussein, 35, took his life by hanging himself with the ceiling fan in Tahirabad area in the jurisdiction of Banard police station. The police said the deceased had become disgruntled after her wife went to her parents’ house.

The police registered a case and further investigations were in progress.—APP

Relief activities start

NOWSHERA, Aug 23: Relief activities started here on Thursday as people were seen busy in removing standing water and mud from their houses at worst flood affected villages of Azakhel, Pirpai and Nowshera Kalan.

The district administration and Wapda have also started relief operation in Azakhel and Pirpai and adjoining villages and restored electricity.

DCO Nowshera Ayaz Mandokhel is personally supervising the relief operation. Rice, clothes and other relief goods were distributed among the flood affected villagers of Khat Kalay, Azakhel, Nowshera Kalan and Khesgi Payan.

The residents urged the government and philanthropists to support the flood victims of Nowshera in this hour of need.—APP

Ensuring peace in Fata

PESHAWAR, Aug 23: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Barrister Masood Kausar has said the government wants peace in Fata and will take every possible step in this regard.

This he said while speaking at a meeting with a delegation from Bajaur Agency led by MNA Akhunzada Chettan at Governor House on Thursday.

The governor said that the tribesmen were the peace loving people and their cooperation with government would ensure progress and prosperity in the area.

Meanwhile, the governor was briefed about the law and order situation and pace of progress on the ongoing development projects in the area.

Mr Akhunzada said due to the best security arrangements, no tragic incident had occurred on Eidul Fitr in the agency.—APP

Punjab’s gesture welcomed

PESHAWAR, Aug 23: Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif for sending relief goods for the flood affected people of district Nowshera.

Mr Hoti appreciated the spirit of brotherhood demonstrated by the people and the government of Punjab.

The Punjab chief minister has ordered dispatching 20 trucks loaded with relief goods for the flood affected Nowshera district.—APP