ABBOTTABAD: The Peshawar High Court, Abbottabad circuit bench, on Wednesday stayed the bifurcation of Kohistan district on a writ petition filed by MPA Maulana Asmatullah.

Following the grant of stay, Maulana Asmatullah told mediapersons that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had not taken local people into confidence on important issues before bifurcation of Kohistan district. He said that they had no other option but to approach the court for justice.

The MPA also led a protest rally outside the court premises against the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. He said that a dispute had erupted on the selection of headquarters of the new districts and demarcation of their areas.

The provincial government had last month announced bifurcation of Kohistan district into lower and upper Kohistan districts.

KIDNAPPERS’ GANG BUSTED: Havelian police on Wednesday arrested five alleged kidnappers, including a woman. DSP Havelian, Arif Javed, told mediapersons that Adeel, a 10th grade student, was kidnapped from Bhalwai village a few days ago and taken to Sindh after which the kidnappers demanded Rs10 million ransom.

He said that after settlement Rs5.6 million was paid in ransom to an alleged kidnapper at Kashmore, Sindh, and the boy was released at Haripur one day after the payment.

The DSP said that the police traced the kidnappers from the bank record as Rs3 million was transferred by the main accused, identified as Sultana, at Haripur and she was arrested. Later, the police arrested four more accused identified as Saqib, Zubair, Awais and Masood from different places.

The police also recovered the ransom money and weapons from them besides the car used in the kidnapping case. Havelian police have registered cases against the accused.

The DSP said that Kashmore police had also arrested one accused, identified as Sachhal, in the kidnapping case.

OPF LAUDED: National Assembly deputy speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi has lauded the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) for launching financial assistance scheme for overseas Pakistanis and said that the PML-N government would extend help to the families of expatriates in case of their death or disability. — Correspondent