Man, woman killed for ‘honour’

KARAK, Oct 29: A woman and her cousin were killed in an honour related incident at Charpara area of Banda Daud Shah tehsil, police said on Monday.

Police said that the woman was found in compromising situation with her cousin by her husband. He opened fire on them, killing both of them on the spot.

Abdul Jabar, brother of the woman’s husband, Noor Jaidad Khan, has lodged a case at Khurram police station. — Correspondent

14 injured in factory fire

PESHAWAR, Oct 29: Fourteen people sustained burn injuries when fire erupted in a chipboard factory at Hayatabad Industrial Estate here on Monday afternoon, police said.

A police official of Hayatabad police post said that the fire started all of a sudden when workers were cleaning a heavy machine with petrol. However, the rescuers managed to douse the fire and rescue the workers.

He said that factory owner Mohsin Hayat and general manager Abdullah also sustained injuries. All the injured were rushed to Hayatabad Medical Complex. Some of them in critical condition were later shifted to Khyber Teaching Hospital.

Meanwhile, fire erupted in another factory in the same area but no casualty was reported. A police official said that factory owner Malik Sajjad had been repeatedly contacted and asked to come to the police station but he was avoiding telling the details. — Bureau Report

New Balakot city

MANSEHRA, Oct 29: The residents of Balakot have demanded of the government to get evacuated the land acquired for the establishment of new Balakot city, a housing project for the survivors of 2005 earthquake, so that the work on infrastructure could be completed.

“We want allotment of plots in the new Balakot city and government should remove hurdles in the mega housing scheme for the victims of Balakot and Garlat union councils,” said former MPA Mazhar Qasim while speaking at a meeting of survivors in Balakot on Monday.

Mr Qasim said that work on new Balakot was inaugurated in 2007 by former president Pervez Musharraf with the initial cost of Rs13 billion when he was representing the people of Balakot as MPA but the present provincial government was not taking the issue seriously and getting the land vacated.

He said that people of red zone were still living a miserable life in small makeshift houses. — Correspondent

PPP’s reorganisation in KP

PESHAWAR, Oct 29: The Pakistan People’s Party provincial president Anwar Saifullah Khan has said that PPP is largest party in the country and efforts will be made to reorganise it in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa once again.

While talking to party workers at his residence here on Monday, the PPP leader said that the credit went to Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who sacrificed his life but never bowed to a dictator and thus strengthened democracy in the country.

He said that PPP would always remain the largest party in the country, adding that its workers were determined to work day and night to enable it to win the next general elections.

The PPP leader paid tribute to Benazir Bhutto and said that her sacrifice would help inspirit the workers in accomplishing her mission. Senator Usman Saifullah Khn was also present on the occasion. — Bureau Report

Karak tehsil being denied uplift

KARAK, Oct 29: Former MNA from Karak Shamsur Rehman Khattak has alleged that Rs280 million of production bonus funds had been spent by the lawmakers of Karak on their respective hometowns instead of the uplift of Banda Daud Shah tehsil, the oil and gas producing area of the district.

He was addressing a large gathering of workers of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf at Ahmad Bandi here on Monday. He regretted that majority area of the tehsil was deprived of basic amenities while the development funds meant for the area were being spent elsewhere.

The former lawmaker regretted that 20 per cent area of Banda Daud Shah tehsil was not provided gas facility and the people working in oil and gas companies were non-local.

Mr Khattak stressed on provision of jobs to the local people in oil and gas companies and said that the roads of the tehsil had been ruined due to heavy traffic. — Correspondent

Promotion of education

GHALANAI, Oct 29: Promotion of education in the area was the top priority of government as only education could play a vital role in the development of a society, said Mohmand Agency Political Agent Adil Siddique.

Talking to Dawn, he said that they reconstructed the damaged educational institutions on priority basis. The UAE government through Pakistan Assistance Programme approved $5.5 million for construction of a cadet college in Ghalanai, he said, adding political administration had already paid Rs3milion for requisition of land for the purpose.

“I hope that work will start soon on several development projects in the area that will bring a positive change in the lives of tribesmen,” the political said. He said that $24.890 million were also approved for several development projects in Mohmand tribal region.

Mr Siddique said that the projects included widening of Ghalanai-Mamad Gat road and setting up women and children hospital in Ghalanai and four model community health centres in different areas of Mohmand Agency.

He said that five water supply projects would be executed in Ghalanai, Sultankhel, Bad-i-Sia, Kamail Haleemzai and Ato Khel areas. “A livestock farm will also be constructed in Ghalanai,” he said.

The political agent urged tribal people to protect the government property and installations in the area. He said that peace was restored in the area.—Correspondent