TNSM leader passes away

ALPURI, Dec 8: Maulana Waliullah Kabalgrami, a key leader of outlawed Tehrik Nefaz Shariat-i-Muhammadi and teacher of Swat Taliban chief Maulana Fazlullah, passed away after protracted illness at Poran Hospital in Shangla on Wednesday. He was 62.

Maulana Kabalgrami was arrested by the security forces one-and-a-half-year ago. He was a close aide of Maulana Sufi Mohammad.

The Maulana later opposed the way of Fazlullah’s struggle for enforcement of Sharia in Malakand division when he was presented before the media persons a year ago in Khwazakhela tehsil.

Sources said that the Maulana fell ill a few months ago and was admitted to Poran hospital in Shangla. His body was shifted to his hometown Bilgram and handed over to relatives. He was later buried at his ancestral graveyard amid tight security. — Correspondent

Two children die KHAR, Dec 8: Two children were killed when a wall fell on them in Sadiqabad Town of Bajaur tribal region on Wednesday.

Over a dozen children were busy in playing in an open space in the populated area of Sadiqabad when the wall collapsed. As a result two of the children were buried under the rubble. The local people retrieved them from the debris and rushed to the nearby hospital. However, they succumbed to injuries on the way. — Correspondent

Passerby killed BATKHELA, Dec 8: A passerby was killed and two suffered serious wounds in a road accident in Batkhela Bazaar here on Wednesday evening.

Residents said a speeding motorcycle hit Mohammad Nisar of Lower Dir district at the bazaar. As a result, he was killed on the spot while both the motorcycle riders sustained multiple injures. They were taken to AHQ Hospital Batkhela where they were referred to Peshawar in precarious condition. The Malakand police have registered a case. — Correspondent

Smuggled goods PESHAWAR, Dec 8: The Anti-Smuggling Division of Customs Department claimed to have seized goods and vehicles worth more than Rs1200 million since activation of mobile squads in Oct 2009.

The deputy collector customs Anti-Smuggling Division in a statement on Wednesday said that since activation, the customs mobile squads of Peshawar, Nowshera and Mardan had seized goods including 2.1m yards of cloth, 90,000kg tea, 12,000kg ghee, about 120ton scrap and auto parts, tyres valuing Rs6m, 130ton poppy seed, cigarettes, motor oil, electric goods worth more than Rs35 million and 90 units of non-duty paid vehicles valuing about Rs90 million.. Furthermore, over 2,000kg narcotics had also been seized.

He said that the customs staff had registered 39 FIRs and arrested 41 alleged smugglers. — Bureau Report

Loadshedding CHITRAL, Dec 8: The consumers of electricity in Chitral have resented the unscheduled and excessive loadshedding in the city and demanded of the government to take stern action against the Pesco officials.

Talking to Dawn here on Wednesday, the chairman of Awami Action Committee for Restoration of Electricity in Chitral, Fardad Ali Shah, said that the people of Chitral had become sick of Pesco which had failed to ensure power supply to the city.

He lamented that the people of Chitral had to suffer more than 15-hour daily outages, especially during night time. He warned that the people will resort to protests if the problem was not resolved. — Correspondent

Service structure KARAK, Dec 8: A Tanzeem-i-Asataza leader has said that the new service structure of teachers will not be acceptable to them if the demands of batch-wise appointment and time-scale promotion were not included.

Speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday, Khairullah Hawari said that the delay in issuance of new service structure had created unrest among the teachers’ community.

He said that the time-scale and batch-wise appointment of teachers should be included in the new service structure as it would be incomplete without the two basic demands.

He said that that the teachers’ body would move court if their demands were not met. — Correspondent

Two acquitted in drug case MARDAN, Dec 8: A local court here on Wednesday acquitted two persons charged with drug pushing.

The court of additional district and sessions judge at Takhtbhai, Farhatullah Khan, ruled that the prosecution case carried different flaws and the benefit of doubt went to the accused-defendants.

The accused persons, Gul Raheem and Muhammad Siraj, both residents of Badhber area in Peshawar were arrested by the local police at Shergarh on April 4, 2010.

Advocate Noor Alam Khan appeared for the defendants and contended that the investigation in the case was conducted by an assistant sub-inspector, whereas under the rules no officer below the rank of sub-inspector could investigate such offence.

Mr Khan contended that the two defendants were going to Dargai to attend a marriage ceremony and were falsely implicated in the case. — Correspondent

Power suspension PESHAWAR, Dec 8: The Peshawar Electric Supply Company has announced that due to necessary maintenance work supply will remain suspended from 132KV Peshawar University grid station on Dec 9 from 8.30am to 4.30pm.

A Pesco statement issued on Wednesday said that as a result the consumers of 11KV Hayatabad (old) and Hayatabad Medical Complex feeders will face inconvenience.

It was stated that power supply will also remain suspended from 132KV Maree Road grid station on Dec 9 from 8am to 2pm.

As a result, the power supply the consumers of 11KV Nawansher feeder will face inconvenience. — Bureau Report

Hashish seized PESHAWAR Dec 8: The city police here on Wednesday thwarted a narcotics smuggling bid by seizing 16kg hashish from secret cavities of a vehicle on G.T. Road at Sirband area in the outskirts of the provincial capital and arrested two alleged smugglers red-handed.

An official of Sirband police station said police patrolling squad had been alerted after receiving information about the smuggling attempt from Khyber Agency to Punjab via G.T. Road.

The police squad intercepted the car carrying 16kg hashish and arrested the two accused, Arif and Nargis. — APP