3 killed in Mansehra incidents

MANSEHRA, Sept 20: Three people, including a minor girl, were killed in different incidents here on Thursday.

Police said body of Mohammad Zakir, who had gone out to purchase items for his family on Wednesday, was found in a field near his house in Shinkiari on Thursday.

The police registered case on the complaint of Sain Mohammad, father of Zakir, who stated his son had some dispute with Walayat Shah and his sons, Ashiq Shah and Miskeen Shah, and accused them of the killing.

In another incident, Mohammad Siddique, who had gone to Kaghan valley to buy cattle, was killed by unidentified people. The Kaghan police started investigation to arrest the culprits. Meanwhile, a young girl was hit by a vehicle while crossing a road in Pano Daree area on Thursday. The victim, Zainab, 6, died while being taken to King Abdullah Teaching Hospital. The city police arrested the driver.—Correspondent

Man arrested with heroin

PESHAWAR, Sept 20: Police on Thursday seized five kilogram heroin from a vehicle and arrested an alleged smuggler on Thursday.

An official said police stopped a car (LOA-7879) coming from the tribal area at Karkhani checkpost. On search five kilogram of fine quality heroin was recovered from the vehicle. The driver, Minhaj, disclosed that he was shifting the narcotics to Punjab.

The source said the driver was under interrogation and police were trying to arrest his other accomplices.—Bureau Report

Shop gutted

KARAK, Sept 20: A cosmetics shop was reduced to ashes after fire erupted in the main Karak bazaar on Thursday.

Eyewitnesses said the fire broke out due to short circuit. The firefighters reached the spot soon after the incident and controlled the fire in an hour. The shop owner, Salman, said that the shop was completely gutted, reducing goods worth Rs3 million to ashes.—Correspondent

Ex-Wapda workers hold demo

PESHAWAR, Sept 20: The retired employees of Wapda on Thursday staged a protest demonstration at Sher Shah Suri Road against delay in providing job quota to their children.

The demonstration was led by provincial president of All Retired Wapda/Pesco Employees Association, Sultan Khan. They were holding placards inscribed slogans in favour of their demands.  Sultan Khan said there were number of posts lying vacant in Wapda for past many years, calling for inducting children of retired employees on these positions.

He demanded of President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ameer Haider Hoti to issue order for release of medical allowances pending since 2010. The employees warned if the government failed to meet their demands, they would start long march on Islamabad and to hold a hunger-strike camp in front of parliament house.—Bureau Report

Planning department offices

GILGIT, Sept 20: The Gilgit-Baltistan government will set up sub offices of planning and development department in all seven districts to expedite the pace of development and provide basic amenities to residents An official of the planning and development department, who attended a high-level meeting chaired by Minister Raja Azam, told Dawn the decision had been taken to improve monitoring and evaluation of the uplift schemes in the region.

The official stated opening new offices of department was aimed at completing projects within stipulated time so that huge money spent on projects could benefit the residents.

The official said apart from setting up offices the higher authorities would also bring a lot of other improvements in the administrative system and introduce new mechanism so that affairs could be administered systematically.—Correspondent

Dyke built

LAKKI MARWAT, Sept 20: MNA Humayun Saifullah Khan inspected the newly built Rod Kohi irrigation dyke near Tajori town on Thursday.

The dyke was built at the cost of Rs6 million and it would help irrigate 37,000 acres of land. Pakistan Petroleum monitoring officer, Salman Haider, other concerned officials and elders also accompanied him on the occasion, according to a press release.

Mr Saifullah said with the help of dyke rain and floodwater would be stored and later used for irrigation purposes in Tajori, Tarrikhel, Adamzai and Ahmadzai localities. “Such dykes will be built in other localities of the district to minimise the hazards of land erosion and flood damages,” he said.

Mr Saifullah said to boost agriculture sector was on top of his priorities and he would leave no stone unturned to turn the barren and arid lands into fertile and cultivable fields.—Correspondent

15 suspects arrested

PESHAWAR, Sept 20: Police have registered FIR of the Scheme Chowk blast on Kohat Road against unknown accused and extended the scope of investigation by arresting 15 suspected persons.

SP Rural, Khurshid Khan, told journalists on Thursday that FIR of the Kohat Road blast, occurred on Wednesday, had been registered against unknown miscreants. He said 15 suspected elements had been arrested and investigation was underway to arrest the real perpetrators. He said PAF van was not the target of explosion but the objective was to create panic and terror among the residents.—APP

Harassment of journalist

PESHAWAR, Sept 20: The Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) has condemned the harassment of a local journalist by town municipal officer.

In a statement issued here the office-bearers of KhUJ said no one would be allowed to disgrace journalists and media outlets.

Expressing concern over use of abusive language against journalists by some TMA officials, KhUJ said media persons had rendered matchless sacrifices for the freedom of press and that no one would be allowed to put restrictions on the freedom of press. They demanded of the chief minister to suspend the responsible TMA official with immediate effect.—APP