KOHAT, Feb 2: Unknown gunmen killed a police guard of a private bank branch in Bilitang village here on Thursday.

Police officials said that as a result of the firing constable Salahuddin of Bilitang police station died on the spot. They said that a private guard of the bank and people there did not try to stop or fire at the fleeing killers, who were two in number.

Later, DIG Masood Afridi, DPO Mubarik Zeb and other officials reached the scene to record statements of eyewitnesses, who were reluctant to say anything about the incident. Most of the shopkeepers in the area shut their businesses to avoid police interrogation.

Later, the constable was buried in Chakarkot area. His funeral was attended by a number of police officers and officials besides a large number of local people.

The DIG has ordered immediate inquiry into the incident while the police arrested the bank’s private guard and some other suspicious people after the initial interrogation. The Bilitang police registered a case against the unknown killers and have launched investigation.

PROJECTS: Provincial housing minister Amjid Khan Afridi has said that Rs15 million have been allocated for roads and electrification of the Bilitang village.

Speaking at a gathering in Bilitang on Thursday, he said that funds for sewerage lines, roads and power and gas supply projects had been allocated from his and Senator Abbas Afridi’s development budget.

He said that a degree college for girls would soon be constructed in the area. He also announced upgradation of the middle school for boys to secondary level.

ENCROACHMENTS: Deputy inspector general of police, Kohat region, Masood Afridi has set one week deadline to the officers for removal of all encroachments from bazaars and highways to streamline traffic and facilitate pedestrians’ movement.

He was chairing a meeting of the district police officers of Karak, Hangu and Kohat. He also asked the officers to persuade the local transporters and businessmen to remove encroachments, otherwise action would be taken against them.

AFGHAN PEACE: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) provincial amir Maulana Amanullah has said that long-term peace in Afghanistan is not possible without inclusion of Pakistan in the ongoing talks.

In a press release here, he said that foreign powers should not exclude Pakistan from the talks, as there could be no peace formula without Pakistan and Afghanistan. He was also accompanied by other JUI-F leaders, including Shamsur Rehman and Qari Rafique, during his visit to Kohat.

He said that the JUI-F was ready to play a role in talks for restoration of peace in Afghanistan.