Blast kills man

CHARSADDA, May 7: One person was killed and 10 others were wounded when a hand grenade exploded accidentally in Kangra village of Charsadda on Saturday.

Police said an explosive device went off inside the house of Saadullah as a result his son Niaz Ali was killed while 10 others suffered injuries. Three people were in critical condition. —Correspondent

Body recovered

PARACHINAR, May 7: Kidnappers killed an Afghan national in captivity in lower Kurram Agency and threw his body near a checkpost on Saturday, an official said.

Eid Gul, an Afghan national, was kidnapped from Ochat village two days ago. His body was found near Chappari checkpost. The deceased had been residing in the village for last three years. —Correspondent

Security at schools

MARDAN, May 7: The Commissioner Mardan Mohammad Adil Khan on Saturday asked heads of all educational institutions to take steps for provision of necessary facilities and security to students.

Presiding over a meeting at his office to review the difficulties, lack of resources and hurdles being faced by the educational institutions across the Mardan city, Mohammad Adil Khan said the government was committed to providing foolproof security to the schools and colleges.

DIG Mardan Abdullah Khan, other police officials, DCO Syed Mohammad Shah, heads of schools and colleges attended the meeting.

The meeting discussed different options of security measures to avoid any untoward activity at the educational institutions owing to the tense situation after killing of Osama Bin Laden. —Correspondent

Land compensation

KARAK, May 7: The people whose lands have been used for the construction of Lawagher dam have complained that the government has not paid them any compensation.

Talking to Dawn here on Saturday, the landowners, including Gul Badshah, Ali Hassan and others said they would organise demonstrations if the district administration failed to pay compensation within a week.

Sources said the DCO had already directed the revenue department to ensure payment to the landowners at the earliest.

The landowners said the Lawaghar dam had been completed long ago but they were yet to get the payment. They said they had apprised the elected representatives of Karak about the delay in payment but no action had been taken. —Correspondent

Reconstruction of bridges

ABBOTTABAD May 7: Provincial Minister for Industries and Commerce, Syed Ahmed Hussain Shah, has asked the National Highway Authority to reconstruct the bridges on Mansehra road in Kaghan which had been damaged in floods.

This he said while addressing a function organised in the honour of outgoing commissioner Hazara, Sahibzada Anees, here on Saturday.

The minister directed steps to provide better recreation facilities to the tourists as tourism was the only source of income of the people of Hazara.

He lauded the efforts of the outgoing commissioner for completing legal formalities and acquiring land for the Hasanabadal-Mansehra Expressway. Meanwhile, Assistant Coordination Officer, Dr Mohammad Azfar Nisar, in a surprise visit to Harno, Kala Bagh and Nathiagali bazaars fined 23 shopkeepers for overcharging. —Correspondent

Funds for Hazara

ABBOTTABAD May 7: Ali Asghar Khan, chairman, Tehrik-i-Haqooq-i-Hazara, has said the local lawmakers should press the government to allocate sufficient funds in the upcoming budget for the Hazara division.

Addressing a gathering of the activists of Tehrik here on Saturday, he said in the last year’s provincial budget, the share of Hazara in the divisible pool on the basis of population was Rs17.3 billion, but the government released only Rs4 billion. He said the lawmakers should hold demonstrations if enough funds were not disbursed for Hazara.

He said the movement would be reorganised at union council level for which necessary spade work had been completed and membership drive would be started shortly.

Meanwhile, Akhbar Faroosh Union, Abbottabad elected its office-bearers on Saturday. —Correspondent

Protest day

PESHAWAR, May 7: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F will observe protest day in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on May 13 and host an all parties conference on May 16 to discuss situation arising out of the US raid on a compound in Abbottabad killing Osama Bin Laden.

The decision was taken at the party provincial executive council meeting held here on Saturday, says a press release. The party provincial chief Sheikh Amanullah presided over the meeting.—Bureau Report

Cop sets example

KOHAT, May 7: A police constable returned the lost wallet and money to its owner and created an example of honesty for other people, an official statement said.

The police constable, Sajid Khan, found a wallet on the roadside which contained Rs10, 000, 110 Dirham and two driving licences. He retuned the items to the owner, Mohammad Hussain, resident of Karak, and set an example of honesty. —Correspondent

Proclaimed offender held

KOHAT, May 7: The police arrested an outlaw involved in a double murder case and possessing explosives in a sting operation in Ustarzai on Saturday.

After getting a tip-off about the presence of the proclaimed offender, Mujahid Hussain, a police team raided a house and arrested him. The police first cordoned off the village to minimise chances of his escape.

The seizure from him included two hand grenades, a 30-bore pistol, cartridges and magazines. Several cases of murder and possession of explosives were pending in the Ustarzai police station against the outlaw. —Correspondent

Businessmen protest

PESHAWAR, May 7: The business community on Saturday held a demonstration at Qayum Stadium Chowk against the unscheduled power suspensions and chanted slogans against the government.

The protesters holding banners and placards inscribed with anti-loadshedding slogans also burnt tyres which led to disruption of vehicular traffic on the main road.

The protesters criticised the government for its failure to ensure smooth power supply to different bazaars and residential localities in the provincial metropolis.—Bureau Report