NEWS IN BRIEF

Published January 6, 2013

3 shot dead in FR D.I. Khan

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Jan 5: Three people, including two JUI local leaders, were killed and five others injured in firing on a jirga in Drazanda area of Frontier Region of Dera Ismail Khan on Saturday.

Sources said that a jirga was in progress in Drazanda to resolve a dispute but all at a sudden a man opened firing on his rival Pir Shah, killing him and JUI leader Sahibzada Abdul Salam on the spot. Aspin Shah, Ghulam Haider, Badraq Shah, Wadan Shah and Faizullah sustained critical injuries in the firing. They were taken to a hospital in Dera Ismail Khan where Aspin Shah also succumbed to his injuries.

Sahibzada Abdul Salam was later laid to rest at his ancestral graveyard. His funeral prayers were led by Islami Ideological Council chairman Maulana Mohammad Khan Shirani. Maulna Asad Mehmud, elder son of JUI-F chief Mualna Fazlur Rehman, Abdur Rauf, Qari Qasim Qureshi and others were present on the occasion. — Correspondent

Woman killed in Karak

KARAK, Jan 5: A woman was killed allegedly by her son-in-law over some domestic issue in Banda Daud Shah tehsil on Saturday.

Police said that Khyal Zada attacked his mother-in-law after he failed to persuade his wife Bano to go with him. They said that the accused had come to his in-laws’ house for reconciliation with his wife, but she refused to go with him. He was infuriated and killed his mother-in-law on the spot and escaped. —Correspondent

Low power voltage in Fata

PESHAWAR, Jan 5: The Tribal Areas Electric Supply Company has said that the problem of low voltage in Federally Administered Tribal Areas will persist until the consumers avoid misusing the facility, according to a press release.

The press release asked the Fata consumers to avoid use of electric heaters, tandoors, geysers and other electric appliances that consumed high amount of electricity.

It said that lavish use of electricity by consumers was chiefly responsible for load management and low voltage problems in Fata. “All the power transformers installed at various grid stations feeding Fata are overloaded and putting further load on these transformers can cause major power failures, which will increase the miseries of the people and the company manifold,” it added. —Bureau Report

Polls of Lakki bar held

LAKKI MARWAT, Jan 5: Advocate Haji Naimatullah Khan Khoidadkhel was elected president of Lakki Marwat District Bar Association for second time on Saturday.

He got 95 out of total 115 polled votes. His rival Hidayatullah Khan grabbed 20 votes. Inamullah Khan Mandrakhel obtained 61 votes to become vice president and defeated Inamullah Khan Lawangkhel, who polled 53 votes.

Fareed Gul was elected general secretary by securing 68 votes followed by Abdul Qadus and Zafrullah, who got 27 and 19 votes, respectively. —Correspondent

Arrest of killers sought

LAKKI MARWAT, Jan 5: The local chapter of Anjman Patwarian and Qanoongoyan has expressed concern over the murder of their colleague in Battagram and demanded of the provincial government to arrest his killers.

The demand was made at a meeting held here on Saturday with district president of the Anjuman Abdullah Khan in the chair.

The participants offered fateha for the deceased patwari, Latifur Rehman, and expressed sympathies with the members of bereaved family. —Correspondent

Orphanage to be set up in KP

PESHAWAR, Jan 5: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has offered to establish an orphanage in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to help the provincial government in its efforts to rehabilitate the terrorism affected families, according to an official handout.

Mr Erdogan made the offer during a meeting with the visiting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Social Welfare Sitara Ayaz, who called on him at Ankara on Saturday.The provincial minister informed the Turkish premier about the terrorism’s affects and the measures taken by the government to deal with the situation. Ms Ayaz and Sindh Minister for Social Welfare Nergis N.D. Khan are on a visit to Turkey these days in connection with a two-day ‘International Conference on Family and Social Policies,” organised by the Turkish government. — Bureau Report

Protest held against contractor

MARDAN, Jan 5: The residents of Muhib Banda here on Saturday held a protest against a contractor for leaving the building of a Janazagah incomplete the area.

They said that government awarded contract for setting up a Janazagah to Niaz Ali khan and approved Rs15 million for the project. They said that the contractor, who was also the ruling Awami National Party president in PK-25 constituency, spent just Rs50,000 on construction of the building and disappeared, leaving the project incomplete.

The protesters blocked road in Muhib Banda for several hours. They chanted slogans against the contractor and provincial government. —Correspondent

Minister promises fair polls

MANSEHRA, Jan 5: Provincial Minister for Irrigation Syed Ahmad Hussain Shah has said that nobody can rig the coming general elections as fake votes have been removed from the voter lists.

“As many as 40,000 duplicate and fake votes are deleted alone in Mansehra district that is a clear indication that coming general elections in Mansehra and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will not be rigged,” he told a public gathering held in connection with the inauguration of electric supply scheme in Balakot on Saturday.

The local office-bearers of Pakistan People’s Party also spoke on the occasion and apprised Mr Shah of their problems. The minister said that both federal and provincial governments were working to the problems faced by the people of Balakot.

“It is high time that people of Balakot should come out of ethnic politics for prosperity and development of the area,” he said. —Correspondent

Repair of bridge demanded

KOHAT, Jan 5: The historic Khushalgarh Bridge over the Indus River that links Kohat with Attock district of Punjab has again developed big holes making travelling through the bridge a risk and nuisance for people.

The old iron bridge has already completed 103 years of its construction and is now being replaced by another bridge being constructed parallel to it with a cost of Rs1.7 billion. The new bridge will be completed by the end of 2013.

The local people said that the road on the old bridge needed immediate repair to make it safe for commuters and motorists.

They said that the bridge was reconstructed in 2010 but owing to use of substandard material and overloaded vehicles potholes again appeared in it.

They demanded of the Kohat commissioner to direct the authorities concerned to repair the bridge. —Correspondent

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