Man, son shot dead

KALAYA, Oct 2: Unknown assailants gunned down a man and his son in Dapa area of lower Orakzai on Friday.

The assailants opened indiscriminate fire on Farman Ali and his son Khyal Moeen. Both were killed on the spot. The attackers managed to escape after the incident. The political administration officials cordoned off the area and started search operation. The administration deployed levies personnel along the road from Kalaya to Kraiz to check activities of suspected persons.—Correspondent

100 held in search operation

MINGORA, Nov 2:  One hundred suspected persons, three women among them, were arrested on Friday in a joint search operation by security forces and police in Sair Thelegram area of Malam Jabba. The crackdown was launched in the wake of an attack on anti-Taliban peace committee member Fazal Ghani on Thursday.

Fazal Ghani had suffered critical wounds while a girl was killed in the attack by suspected militants. Fazal Ghani is under treatment at Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital.

Residents said Fazal Ghani was an active member of local peace committee and he might again be targeted by Taliban militants.

Soon after the attack on peace committee member, the security forces and police cordoned off the area and started search operation. During the over 20 hours long operation hundred suspected persons, including three women, were arrested and shifted to undisclosed location for interrogation.—Correspondent

Action against transporters

TIMERGARA, Nov 2: The district administration and police on Friday launched a crackdown against transporters violating the new fare list and traffic rules.

A heavy contingent of regular and traffic police headed by the Timergara sub-divisional magistrate Ziaur Rahman Marwat and district traffic in-charge Salim Khan continued checking public transport the whole day. They fined more than 200 vehicles, including passenger coaches and Suzuki pickups, on the spot for overcharging commuters after the recent reduction of prices of CNG.

Talking to journalists the SDM Ziaur Rahman said the crackdown would continue for some days in parts of the district. He said special directives had been issued by the DCO Mahmood Aslam Wazir and DPO Mohammad Ijaz Abid in this regard.

He said majority of transporters using CNG had not reduced fares after the apex court had ordered decrease in CNG prices. The district administration, he said would not allow anyone to overcharge commuters.—Correspondent

Work on college inaugurated

UPPER DIR, Nov 2: MPA from Upper Dir Anwar Khan on Friday inaugurated construction work on a degree college at Naura in remote Barawal area.

Speaking at a public meeting at Brawal, the MPA said Rs20 million would be spent on the project. He said the college would play a major role in providing quality education to the students of the underprivileged area. He said without education no community, society or country could progress.

He said the pavement of paths and streets was not development but providing opportunity to people to receive education would actually bring development to the area. He said Barawal was a remote area near the Afghan border where the people had no or little opportunities to get higher education.

Mr Anwar said the construction of the degree college would even benefit the residents of villages situated on the Afghan border.—Correspondent

Security plan for Ashura

ABBOTTABAD, Nov 2: More than 800 policemen will be deployed in Abbottabad district for security during Ashura processions.

Besides, personnel of Frontier Constabulary, Frontier Reserve Police and civil defence volunteers would also assist the police to maintain law and order during Muharram.

This was said by DCO Abbottabad Syed Imtiaz Shah and DPO Karim Khan after a meeting held to review the law and order situation in the district on Friday.

The meeting was also attended by the office-bearers of traders’ federations, members of peace committee, journalists, ACO, ASP and SHOs of all police stations.

It was decided to impose section 144 on the movement of Afghans and to restrict them to their camps and residences. Special checkposts will be established at different points, while the Abbottabad station commander would be asked to restrict the movement of armed forces personnel in the city.—Correspondent

Passengers being overcharged

GHALANAI, Oct 2: Transporters continue to charge high fares from passengers despite a sizeable reduction in the price of CNG.

Residents have appealed to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor to take notice of the situation and direct the political authorities to initiate necessary action against the transporters who were not ready to reduce the fares on different routes.

Ali Raza, a resident of Haleemzai, said: “We are thankful to the chief justice of Pakistan who had taken notice and prices of CNG were reduced but it seems that the political administration is not willing to reduce transport fares.”

Izat Gul, who travels from Shabqadar to Chanda Ghandahab in public transport, said it was unfortunate that relief could not be transferred to the people.

Zabit Khan, who travels on route from Mill stop Haleemzai to Peshawar Charsadda bus stand, said he used to pay Rs70 and now transporters charged Rs100 for the same distance.—Correspondent