SWABI: Torrential rain accompanied with thunderstorm turned the weather pleasant in Swabi district on Sunday providing the residents much needed respite from the hot and humid conditions.

The rain lashed the district before dawn and continued for over an hour. The people have been praying for rain from the last few days and they heaved a sigh of relief over the rain at the beginning of Ramazan.

After the downpour, people said that it was the beginning and hoped that more rains would follow. Meanwhile, people living in Gadoon industrial estate and Tarbela Dam residential colonies did not keep fast here on Sunday. They said that they would follow the central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee’s announcements on commencement of Ramazan and Eidul Fitr.

People in almost all other parts of the district followed Mufti Shahabuddin Populzai of Peshawar, who had announced the sighting of moon on Saturday night.

SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMS: Both government and private school students could now appear in the upcoming supplementary examinations of secondary school certificate of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Mardan, sources said here on Saturday.

Earlier, the students promoted to 10th class despite not securing passing marks in some papers would have to wait for annual exams to pass these papers. Students have welcomed the board’s decision to restart supplementary examinations.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2014