KOHAT: Unknown persons on Friday night blew up a centuries-old shrine here, possibly in search of a treasure trove, local residents said.

They said the Bado shrine in Marchungi area was also dug by what they said thieves a week ago.

The place is also a popular picnic spot where people gather for night and also do fishing in the nearby stream.

People suffering from paralyses visit the shrine from all over the country and firmly believe that they get spiritually healed from there after taking salt and oil for massage.

Local elders said after the thieves first dug the shrine a week ago they tried to lodge a report with the nearby police checkpost, but the officials did not register it. The people, fearing thieves, did not want to mention their names in the FIR.

However, after the assailants blew it up with explosives on Friday night, the locals informed the police which registered the case against unknown attackers on their own behalf.

The people said the thieves also uprooted the slabs placed on the grave.

POLICE-BAR LIAISON STRESSED: Training of members of the legal community and the police personnel is a must for taking the criminal cases to their logical end. This was stated by participants of a function the district bar held in honour of DPO Captain retired Wahid Mehmood on Saturday.

District bar president Javed Panji Advocate, member of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council, Fawad Hussain Advocate, lawyers and police officials were in attendance.

On the occasion, DPO Mehmood said the objective of a peaceful society could be achieved with better efforts of bar, bench and police. He said lawyers should work together with the police investigation branch and also take advantage of each other’s experience.

The lawyers demanded removal of substandard CNG kits from vehicles and improving the traffic system. The DPO promised to launch a crackdown on such vehicles.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2019