Money dispute claims life

MARDAN, Aug 28: A monetary dispute between two groups claimed life of one person here on Tuesday in the Sikandari area, police said. The accused identified as Jihad Ali allegedly shot dead Faqir Taj when they exchanged hot words over the amount of a car during a jirga held at the Sikandari area.

The killer fled the scene. The officials of concerned Par Hoti police station started investigation of the case after registering FIR against the accused.—Correspondent

PTI forms welfare bodies

PESHAWAR, Aug 28: The labour wing of the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter, has formed committees in eight districts to work for betterment of common people at grass root level in order to motivate them towards the party.

This was announced by the provincial general secretary of the labour wing of PTI Murtaza Hussain while speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday.

He said these committees had been formed in Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Battagram, Kohistan, Bannu and D.I. Khan that would work for social change besides taking part in welfare activities.

He vowed that PTI would provide relief to countrymen if it was voted to power in next general elections.—Bureau Report

Two labourers injured

KARAK, Aug 28: Two labourers were critically injured when the roof of an under construction building collapsed in Azarkhel area of Karak tehsil on Tuesday. The labourers were shifted to Peshawar in precarious condition.

Sources and eyewitnesses informed that Akbar Zaman, resident of Azarkhel, was constructing a house and the labourers were busy in work when all of a sudden the main beam of the hall collapsed on two labourers, Imtiaz and Mubarik, residents of the same area.

The local residents made announcements on loudspeakers for help and after hectic efforts of the local people and the other labourers the injured labourers were retrieved.

They were rushed to the district headquarters hospital Karak in critical condition from where the doctors referred them to Peshawar. —Correspondent

Exhumation postponed

MARDAN, Aug 28: The exhumation of the body of a ninth grader allegedly tortured to death by the police, which was to take place today (Tuesday) was postponed till September 10. The boy, Akhtar Ali, was allegedly killed by the personnel of Shergar police station on the night between Thursday and Friday.

The death of the student stirred up protest demonstrations by the locals and relatives of the deceased.

A judicial inquiry under the supervision of civil judge Ijaz Khan was ordered to collect proofs, carry out another post-mortem and exhume the body for further investigation.

The civil judge Ijaz Khan visited the Shergar police station here the other day and drew maps of the site where the student was tortured to death. He, on the occasion, postponed grave digging of the student till completion of the inquiry.—Correspondent

Action against bikers ordered

PESHAWAR, Aug 28: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has taken notice of the increasing road accidents involving motorcyclists and directed the traffic police to strictly implement the traffic laws in order to overcome the incidents and traffic violations.

The home and tribal affairs department, in a statement on Tuesday directed the traffic police to check driving licences, registration and number plates of motorcycles. The police were also directed to take action against those doing one wheeling.—Bureau Report

Minimising flood devastation

PESHAWAR, Aug 28: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Excise and Taxation Liaqat Shabab and Minister for Irrigation Syed Ahmad Hussain Shah have said the damaged retaining wall and spurs would be reconstructed to save the population of Nowshera from devastation of floods.

The ministers were on a visit to the flood affected areas of Gujar Busti and Aman Ghar on Tuesday, where they inspected the retaining wall and spurs, which were badly damaged by recent floods.

They directed the quarters concerned to reconstruct them to protect the population from further devastation during rainy season.

On this occasion, secretary irrigation Khalid Pervez, chief engineer Riaz Ahmad Khan and other concerned officers were also present.

Liaqat Shabab said concrete steps would be taken to protect the population of the area from further loss in future. He said due to construction of embankment at River Kabul in Khweshgi area, the pressure of flood had risen, hitting the two localities.—Bureau Report

Arms, ammunition seized

LANDI KOTAL, Aug 28: Security forces on Tuesday seized huge quantity of arms and ammunition from a house in Landi Kotal.

Official sources said a special contingent of Frontier Corps was sent from Balahisar Fort in Peshawar to conduct raid on the house of Haji Mazar Khan in Mirdad Khel locality.

Officials said the search operation continued for almost ten hours in which personnel of the Khyber Rifles also took part.

Forces used excavators to dig out arms and ammunitions hurried under the earth. Sources said Haji Mazar is a transporter-cum-currency dealer and has long shifted to Peshawar.

Officials said the seizure included thousands of rounds of Kalashnikov, explosive material, RPGs, SMGs, mortars and artillery shells. No one was taken into custody.

Meanwhile, khasadar force in Jamrud recovered body of a young man stuffed in a bag from a water channel. He was identified as Arshad, hailing from Charsadda.—Correspondent  

Vacant posts in Fata secretariat

PESHAWAR, Aug 28: Secretary Safron Habibullah Khan on Tuesday directed additional chief secretary Fata to fill all the positions lying vacant in various departments/directorates of Fata secretariat.

The directives were issued at a meeting attended by additional chief secretary Fata Dr Tashfeen, secretary AI&C Munir Azam, secretary P&D Shakeel Qadir, DG projects and other high ranking officials of Fata secretariat, according to a handout.

The additional chief secretary Fata suggested transferring surplus staff of ushr and zakat department to social welfare department which was approved.

It was decided that additional staff of other Fata directorates/departments should be allowed to be adjusted while filling the vacant positions. —Bureau Report