KOHAT: Thousands of students of private schools here have been facing hardships in getting books in the market as the booksellers boycotted the educational institutions who are selling their own printed copies to the students.

Sources said that these schools could not ensure timely provision of the course books to their students despite promises. They said that studies could not be started in these schools while their managements had announced summer vacations from June 4 instead of June 15, 2016 due to early Ramazan.

Some of the schools and colleges have even made it compulsory for the students to buy copies of the course books from the schools printed with the logo and name of the said institution.

Booksellers boycott selling courses of some private institutions

This attracted a boycott by the booksellers who have decided not to sell the course books of the institutions who have allegedly started a new business of selling books in addition to charging huge fees.

The local booksellers, including Khursheed Bookstore and Rafique and Sons, told this correspondent during a survey that such educational institutions should also arrange books for their students themselves and they would not sell their course.

SUSPECTS HELD: The police have arrested 26 suspects during an operation in the Ustarzai and adjoining areas along Orakzai Agency border.

DSP headquarter Abdur Rasheed led the house-to-house search operation which yielded the arrest of Mohammad Shirin and his son Mujahid Shirin, who were wanted to police in a murder case. An alleged facilitator of a proclaimed offender was also arrested.

Two suspicious motorcycles were also taken into custody. Hundreds of policemen, lady police, sniffer dogs and armoured personnel carriers took part in the action, a statement issued here said.

Two Afghan refugees were also held under the Foreign Act. One rifle, two pistols and hundreds of cartridges were seized during the action.

SALARY DEMANDED: As many as 13 employees of the health department have not been paid salaries for eight months due to an inquiry into their documents to confirm whether they belong to Kohat district or not.

Sources said that the department had appointed 13 medical and EPI technicians in May 2015 without advertising the posts and was now facing hurdles in releasing their salaries.

Some of the officials had demanded an inquiry by the anti-corruption department into these appointments so that the facts could be known. Talking to this correspondent, District Paramedics Association president Rashid Bokhari said on Tuesday that the certificates and diplomas of these employees were not verified before their appointment and the process was now underway.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2016