SWABI: Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan (AJIP), a Swabi-based political group established by a local industrialist, has elected office-bears for its Mansehra chapter.

In this connection, a meeting was held in Tarakai House here on Monday to nominate AJIP office-bearers in Mansehra district. AJIP chairman Shahram Khan Tarakai, MNA Usman Khan Tarakai and other leaders pledged on the occasion to work with complete devotion for strengthening the party.

At present the AJIP has five MPAs in the provincial assembly and one MNA in the National Assembly. It had won three provincial seats from the district in May general elections. Later one MPA from Shangla joined the party and a woman, who belongs to Swabi, was elected MPA on reserved seat.

The AJIP has already nominated its office-bearers in Mardan and Buner districts. The announcement of AJIP officer-bearers for Mansehra district shows that Tarakai family wants to strengthen their roots in other districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Mr Shahram, who is also provincial minister for agriculture and information technology, said that they worked under a well-planned strategy to reach out to other districts of the province. He said that they were establishing party’s offices in other areas.

Sources said that AJIP would also nominate office-bearers in Lakki Marwat, Swat, Benue, Nowshera and Charsadda. “Shahram Khan has already visited Nowshera, Swat and Benue districts,” they said.

Meanwhile, traders of tehsil Topi here on Monday demanded recovery of a boy, who was adducted in broad daylight from the main bazaar three days ago.

The incident has infused insecurity among the traders and businessmen. The traders said that three people bundled the boy in their unregistered car. They said that soon after the incident they informed police but the boy was not traced.

The traders recalled that jewellery worth Rs23.5 million was looted from seven shops in Topi Bazaar on Feb 7. Before this incident, a doctor was shot dead in his private clinic and a taxi driver was also killed in Topi bus stand.

Also, the local leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz have shown concern over grenade attack on the hujra of their colleague.

Unidentified persons had hurled a hand grenade at the hujra of PML-N district finance secretary Isfaqullah on Friday in Dagai village.

The PML-N league leaders expressed anguish over the incident and demanded provision of security.