NEWS IN BRIEF

Published November 18, 2012

Two shot dead in Swabi

SWABI, Nov 18: Two people were killed in separate incidents in the Swabi district on Sunday.

Police said Said Kamal Shah lodged a case in the Swabi city police station alleging accused Fahad Khan opened fire over his brother, Said Bahadar Shah, after exchanging harsh words with him over a minor issue, killing him on the spot the other day.

The attacker escaped after the incident.

In another incident in Ismaila village, Manzoor Ali was shot dead over a petty dispute. Sher Akbar, brother of the deceased, lodged FIR of the incident in Kalu Khan police station against the accused Javid Khan. —Correspondent

Man hangs wife to death

CHARSADDA, Nov 18: A woman was hanged to death allegedly by her husband over a domestic dispute in Sardheri area here on Sunday.

Police said the accused, Umar Rehman, had been arrested. They said Rehman hanged his wife after getting taunts from her wife for being unemployed. The police registered the case against the accused.

In another incident, a schoolteacher was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the Shabqadar tehsil on Sunday.

The police said the schoolteacher, Haji Sher Mohammad, was attacked by the gunmen when he was going to mosque for morning prayers. The police registered the case against unidentified accused.

Meanwhile, two men were injured in celebratory firing at a wedding ceremony in Nisata area. The injured men, Khurshid and Zubair, were shifted to hospital. The police registered the case on the complaint of one of the injured men. —Correspondent

ANP workers join PML-N

KARAK, Nov 18: Dissident workers and office-bearers of Awami National Party joined the Pakistan Muslim League-N during a function held at Terri here on Sunday.

The ANP workers held a meeting with PML-N provincial general secretary Rehmat Salam Khattak at the residence of former naib nazim of Terri union council Usman Zarin.

Sources said the ANP workers, including former tehsil Banda Daud Shah naib nazim Rehman Gul Tariq, former tehsil president Farman Shah, president union council Terri Raees Badshah and presidents of wards announced to join the PML-N. PML-N district president Wahid Rehman was also present on the occasion. —Correspondent

Man gets ten years jail

MANSEHRA, Nov 18: A local court has awarded ten years imprisonment to a young man who had sexually assaulted his minor niece in a village near Shinkiari in 2010.

The additional district and sessions judge Munawar Khan handed down ten years imprisonment to Niazi Mohammad who had taken his 8-year niece into a forest in the garb of bringing firewood and sexually assaulted her.

The rapist who had once escaped from police custody was arrested in March 2010. The Shinkiari police had registered a case against the accused on the complaint of the father of the victim girl. The case was decided by the court the other day. —Correspondent

Power transformers’ theft

SWABI, Nov 18: Local lawmakers have taken exception to police and Pesco workers’ failure to curb increasing incidents of theft of power transformers in the district.

MNA Usman Khan Tarakai said it was responsibility of the police and Wapda staff to take practical measures to curb theft of power transformers. He pointed out that an organised group was involved in the crime.

Mr Usman, who is also chairman of the energy committee in the national assembly, said despite their continued requests no remedial measures had been taken.

MPA Javid Khan Tarakai said he had asked the police to take immediate steps for curbing the transformers’ theft.

“Usually it happens that the thieves remove the transformers from polls, collect important instruments and leave the empty cover on the ground. He demanded of the police and Pesco to go beyond verbal assurances and take practical steps for curbing the theft of power transformers. —Correspondent  

Training workshops

LANDI KOTAL, Nov 18:  Pakistan Red Crescent Society, Fata chapter, organised training workshops for volunteers of Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram, and South Waziristan agencies.

The workshops organised at the agency headquarters of the four tribal regions were designed to inculcate in volunteers how to assess the plight and destruction caused by disasters, whether man-made or natural, and then be better able to provide relief to the affected population, according to a statement issued by PRCS manager disaster management Shehryar Khan on Sunday.

Shehryar Khan said, “These trainings will help to respond effectively in natural and man-made disasters or emergencies. Our commitment towards capacity building and development of our staff and volunteers reflect the overall mission and vision to help the most vulnerable people.”

During the training different modules related to assessment in emergencies were delivered through practical and participatory exercises. —Correspondent  

Educational revolution

MANSEHRA, Nov 18: Minister of State for Technical Education and Training Sardar Shahjehan Yousuf has said the government is evolving a comprehensive strategy to take every child to school to bring an educational revolution in the country.

“The government is working on a comprehensive plan to ensure that every child goes to school during the next decade to enhance literacy rate,” said Mr Yousuf, while speaking at a public gathering in Mung area of Balakot on Sunday.

He said country was facing a number of challenges but most of them were just because of the lack of education and technology know-how.

“If we had spread the technical and scientific education in the country during last six decades, we would have been in a position to cope with the energy and other crises,” observed Mr Yousuf. He said the federal government was taking all possible measures to address the problems faced by the earthquake survivors. —Correspondent

Pillion riding banned

KOHAT, Nov 18: The District Coordination Officer Zakir Hussain Syed has imposed section 144 and banned pillion riding for 30 days as a precautionary measure to stop terrorism during Muharram. However, the DCO exempted the parents carrying children to school and journalists from pillion riding.

Mr Zakir also banned hate speeches, vehicle with tinted glasses, carrying of petrol in open utensils, gathering of five or more people, entry of Afghan refugees on 9th and 10th of Muharram and carrying and display of arms by people other than security personnel.

The district administration has also kept the army on standby to be deployed in case of emergency in the district.

The patrolling on mobiles and on foot by the security forces and police has been increased. Strict checking of vehicles and suspicious people entering the district from all four sides, especially Darra Adamkhel and Orakzai Agency, is also being carried out. —Correspondent

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