MANSEHRA: At least 10 people suffered critical injuries when two vehicles collided head-on in Dodial area here on Monday.

The accident occurred as the driver lost the control of his mini-wagon on the way from Shinkiari to Mansehra and rammed it into an oncoming pickup van critically injuring 10 passengers.

The residents shifted the injured to the civil hospital in Shinkiari. The doctors referred four of them to the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital, where their condition was stated to out of danger. The Baffa police registered a case and began search for the fleeing drivers of both vehicles.

UPLIFT SCHEMES: District nazim Sardar Said Ghulam on Monday asked the PTI lawmakers to ensure the early execution of development projects approved by the last PML-N government.

“Former federal minister Sardar Mohammad Yousuf had got approved the establishment of a women’s university for Mansehra but ironically, the local PTI lawmakers are claiming credit for it though they’ve failed to ensure start of work on it,” Mr Ghulam told reporters here on Monday.

The nazim said the last government had also approved the supply of natural gas to Balakot and other parts of the tehsil but the current local MNA falsely took credit for it. He said work on the projects under the recently-approved annual development programme would begin soon as the tendering process for them was in final phase, while other formalities were also being fulfilled.

CRACKDOWN ON DRUGS: District police officer Zaibullah Khan Yousafzai on Monday said the police were committed to eliminating drug peddling and other crimes from Mansehra.

“We have a zero tolerance for illegal narcotics trade and are ensuring its eradication for the health of people,” he told a news conference here. Mr Yousafzai said since he was made DPO early that month, the police had seized a large cache of narcotics and arrested dozens of drug pushers.

He claimed that the police system was free from political and other influences and was ensuring the resolution of people’s problems.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2018