Increase in POL prices rejected

RAWALPINDI, Sept 17: The Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) on Monday criticised the hike in the prices of petroleum products and CNG and rejected the weekly price revision mechanism.

According to a press release, the RCCI President Jawed Akhtar Bhatti said the new mechanism would help the hoarders make more money.

He said besides affecting the common man it would make it difficult for the business community to adjust the prices of goods.

It would not be easy for any contractor or department to issue quotations for uplift work.

He demanded of the government to reduce the petroleum products prices and withdraw its decision of weekly adjustment of prices. —A Reporter

Settlement of employees’ issues

ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: Justice Noorul Haq N. Qureshi of Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the management of the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) to settle within one month the outstanding and unresolved monetary issues raised by its reinstated employees.

The court issued the direction in a writ petition filed by 43 employees reinstated under the Sacked Employees Reinstatement Act 2010.

The employees said they had been seeking the financial compensation, pay fixation and other ancillary benefits granted to them under Sacked Employees Reinstatement Act 2010.

The petitioners through their counsel Abdur Rehman Siddiqui maintained that they were reinstated in April 2009 but the management denied point-to-point fixation of their pay as directed by the Establishment Division.

They said the respondents had failed to disburse the full compensation of the first three years within the stipulated period till January 2011 to which they were entitled under the 2009 ordinance and the Act of 2010.

The petitioners prayed for initiating action against the respondents for delaying and creating hurdles in implementation of the Act. The court adjourned the matter with date in office. — A Reporter

31 outlaws held

ATTOCK, Sept 17:   The police have arrested 31 outlaws and seized arms and narcotics from different areas of the district.

The district police’s spokesman Malik Javed has informed here on Monday said the outlaws were arrested during general holdup in the jurisdiction of different police stations of the district on Sunday night.

Police have also recovered 16 pistols, 62 bullets, 3,315 gram hashish and 25 bottles of liquor from their possession and registered separate cases against them.— Correspondent

Abduction case

ATTOCK, Sept 17:  Police have registered an abduction case against three persons on the charges of kidnapping a young girl.

Police sources said that a resident of Dhoke Fateh colony Attock city filed a complaint before the district and session  judge a few days back that his 15 year old daughter “A’ was present at the house, when three armed persons  allegedly  entered the house and held all inmates on gunpoint. Later on, they allegedly took his daughter and escaped from the scene.

The police was reluctant to take any legal action against the influential accused.

Taking strong note, the district judge has directed the SHO Attock city police for registration of abduction case. against the all accused persons in order to ensure recovery of abducted girl.—Correspondent

NHA gets its own office

CHAKWAL, Sept 17: After the span of 15 years the National Highways Authority (NHA) has finally got its own office at the 367km long patch of M2 that connects Lahore with Islamabad.

The much desired and awaited NHA Complex built at a cost of Rs50 million was inaugurated in Kallar Kahar beside the motorway by Federal Minister for Communication Dr Arbab Alamgir late Monday evening.

Federal Secretary for Communications Anwar Ahmad, General Manager NHA Shahid Ahsan and other officers concerned were also present on the occasion.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Arbab Alamgir vowed that despite limited resources utmost efforts were being made to provide maximum facilities to the people.

Giving good news to the employees of NHA recruited on contract basis he said his ministry would regularise all those employees who have completed their one year job very soon. —Correspondent

Student injured RAWALPINDI, Sept 17: A student of Postgraduate College for Boys, Satellite Town was injured after a bullet, fired by another student, pierced in his shoulder on Monday.

The incident happened after the college security guard Afzal Khan stopped two students of 3rd year, Omer Farooq and Awal Khan, from entering the college without uniform.

The two students got annoyed and one of them allegedly pulled out his pistol and fired into the air and one of the bullets pierced into the body of another student injuring him critically.

The injured was removed to hospital where he is stated to be out of danger.— Staff Reporter