KOHAT: The district council Kohat unanimously passed Rs4.410 billion tax-free budget for the fiscal year 2017-18 after a weeklong debate here on Monday.

District nazim Nameem Afridi gave approval to the budget, which has set aside a major chunk of Rs3.10 billion for payment of salaries, Rs41 million for non-salary purpose and Rs118 million for development.

On the occasion, Mr Afridi assured opposition that their all good proposals would be included in the development projects.

He pointed out that due to negligence of the previous district government Rs200 million grant announced by the prime minister had been ‘taken away’ by the provincial government.

The district nazim urged the members to spend the public funds with utmost care because people had entrusted them as guardians of their money.

ARRESTED: An Afghan drug smuggler was arrested in injured condition after exchange of fire with police, while two drug peddlers were held on the Indus Highway with hashish on Monday.

The Gumbat police personnel were on a routine check on a road in Jawaki Shin Dhand area of FR Kohat, when three motorcyclists opened fire at them.

However, the policemen escaped unhurt. They returned fire, injuring one of them, an Afghan refugee, Riazullah, who resides in Ghulam Banda camp.

The police recovered two kilogramme of hashish from him. He was admitted to the KDA teaching hospital. The other two accomplices managed to flee.

The police informed the political administration about the incident and got the physical remand of the accused.

The Jarma police during snap checking at Muslimabad checkpost on the Indus Highway stopped a suspect car, and during search found five kilogramme of hashish from it.

The alleged smugglers, Mir Hamza of Peshawar, and Mohammad Irfan of Kukikhel area of Jamrud, were arrested.

They were presented in a court where they admitted to carrying the consignment from Khyber Agency to Bannu.

The court remanded them to police custody or further investigation.

RECOVERED: Two armed robbers, who had looted picnickers at gunpoint in Dhodha resort, were arrested and booty was recovered from them on Monday.

They were named Mohammad Daud of Chakar Kot and Waqar Ahmed of Dhoda.

The police seized Rs5,000, 500 Dirhams, five mobile phones and two pistols from them.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2017