Man shot dead in Mardan

MARDAN, Oct 10: A young man was killed and his father injured when their opponents opened fire on them outside the district courts here on Wednesday.

Officials of the city police station quoted Gul Ameer, a resident of Misriabad, as saying that he along with his son Nasir was going to Mardan district courts to attend hearing of their case when their opponent Zohaib and his accomplices Ayaz, Ghani and Saeed opened indiscriminate fire, killing Nasir on the spot, while he himself received injured.

The accused were trying to escape after the attack when ASI Muqaddam Khan and other police officials overpowered Zohaib and recovered a pistol from his possession. The other accused escaped.

Police have registered a case and started investigation. —Correspondent

Explosives recovered

LAKKI MARWAT, Oct 10: Police recovered explosives from the house of a wanted criminal in Paharkhel Thall village here on Wednesday.

DPO Mohammad Idrees Khan was informed that Aqeel Khan wanted by police in cases of murder and attempted murder had dumped explosives in his house for carrying out subversive activities in the area.

Police raided the house on the directives of the DPO and seized six crackers, 12 detonators and six safety fuses.

The criminal was not present in the house at the time of raid. The police have registered a case.

Meanwhile, local authorities of Peshawar Electric Supply Company disconnected supply to several villages bordering FR Lakki for not paying their bills.

On the instructions of executive engineer Jamaluddin, a team led by SDO Serai Gambila sub-division Fareed Khan disconnected the electricity supply to the villages. —Correspondent

Demo against attack

PESHAWAR, Oct 10: Activists of various non-governmental organisations held a protest demonstration near the press club here on Wednesday against the attack on Malala Yousufzai and termed it a cowardly act.

The demonstration was held under the banner of Aman Tehrik. The participants were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the attack and asked the government to ensure protection to all those opposing the terrorists.

Talking to media persons, Idress Kamal and other women activists said that the government on one hand was claiming to have restored peace and eradicated the terrorists, while on the other girl students were attacked in Swat, which, they added, was a live example of government’s failure.

They said that this ugly incident had caused unrest among the peace-loving people of the country. —Bureau Report

Mental Health Day observed

ABBOTTABAD, Oct 10: World Mental Health Day was observed at Ayub Medical Complex (AMC) here on Wednesday.

Prof Dr Azizur Rehman Yousafzai, general secretary Pakistan Psychiatric Society and head of psychiatry department AMC, stated that mental health day promoted discussion on mental disorders and their prevention, promotion and treatment.

This year the theme for the day is “Depression: a global crisis”.

He said that depression affected more than 350 million people of all ages in all communities across the world. Although there is effective treatment available for depression, but access to treatment is a problem in most of the countries.

In some countries, fewer than 10 per cent of those who need mental care receive treatment.

Dr Yousafzai said that there was need to establish more units at tehsil and district level to provide mental health services to the patients. —Correspondent

Police station inaugurated

SWABI, Oct 10: DIG Mardan range Abdullah Khan has said that the police department is planning to establish new police stations to control crimes and provide security to the people.

He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Parmuli police station here on Wednesday. Mardan Commissioner Mohammad Adil Khan, DPO Abdur Rashid, ANP district president were also present on the occasion.

The Parmuli police post was upgraded to the police station due to increasing population in the area. It has also been reported that the rate of crime had increased manifold in the area. He said that with the establishment of the new police station crime rate would certainly come down. —Correspondent