KOHAT: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is arriving here today (Friday) to address a public meeting in the city’s Fortress Ground where seating arrangements for about 20,000 people has been made.

The PM’s visit to Kohat had earlier been postponed twice; once due to internal rift in the PML-N ranks and then on PM’s health grounds.

Despite ban on holding of public meetings at stadiums and playgrounds by the provincial government the today’s meeting would be held at the Fortress Ground, also known as Qilla Cricket Ground. A few months ago PTI chief Imran Khan had also violated the ban and held a public meeting at the Kohat Stadium.

The PTI has not provided any type of help and the organisers of the public meeting have been watering the ground for two days. They complained that for the security of a large number of people visiting to see the site only two policemen had been provided.

Organisers say seating arrangements made for 20,000 people

Meanwhile, majority of private schools in the city announced a holiday on Friday (today), expecting blockage of city roads.

According to the organisers, the prime minister would address the public meeting and then go to Azeem Bagh, the residence of the host, former senator Abbas Khan Afridi, on Rawalpindi Road.

The famous DJ Butt has arrived to install sound system for the prime minister’s public meeting. Talking to this correspondent, DJ Butt said that two new songs had been prepared for the function; one by Shahzeb Ali of Lahore and the other by a writer from KP.

Answering a question, he said that though he had a special love for PTI and Imran Khan, sound system making was his bread and butter so he could not refuse anybody who could afford it.

5TH GRADE EXAMS: The Private Schools Management Association on Thursday demanded of the government to withdraw its decision of introducing board examinations for 5th grade at a protest in front of Kohat Press Club.

The association’s chairman, Haroon Niazi, said that in private schools over eight different syllabuses were being taught and as such it would not be possible for the board to arrange a single paper for the students.

He said that the education board and the government should first implement a single syllabus for class 5th and then take board examinations.

Meanwhile, police arrested an Afghan refugee who was teaching at a government primary school after getting job on fake identity card. Following public complaints, the police arrested the Afghan refugee, identified as Mohammad Gul of Jawaki. Police said that they sent his CNIC to Nadra for confirmation which declared it fake.

A police statement said that a case had been registered against him.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2016