TIMERGARA: Residents of Bagh Toormang village have complained that decades-old pine trees were being ruthlessly felled in the forests of Ajdari Bagh here.

Talking to reporters, Malik Zameer Khan and Mukhtiar said that so far more than 300 pine and other trees had been chopped in the forest owned by local communities.

They said some influential persons were behind the illegal act. They said the divisional forest officer and other officials concerned had been informed of the deforestation, but to no avail.

They said on one hand the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was spending billions of rupees on clean and green programme but, on the other, the existing forests were being eliminated.

They demanded of PTI chief Imran Khan and chief minister to take notice of the matter.

DEATH ANNIVERSARY: The Qaumi Watan Party, Lower Dir chapter, observed the second death anniversary of its assassinated leader Mohammad Umar at Kotigram the other day.

A large number of party workers attended the event which was addressed by QWP leader and MPA Bakht Baidar Khan, tehsil councillor Tauseef Umar and others.

They paid rich tributes to late Umar, who was shot dead two years ago.

They said the QWP would continue serving the masses in the area. They said the party would contest next elections from all the constituencies of Lower Dir.

MPA Bakht Baidar demanded of the federal government to convene a multiparty conference on the issue of atrocities against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2017