KOHAT: The jirga of elders of Ustarzai Payan here have demanded of the government to ensure early completion and opening of the under-construction girls degree college.

They said that the college project was approved by former minister Syed Qalbe Hassan in 2013 and its construction was started with a cost of Rs210 million at that time, but the work was halted for unknown reasons.

The jirga members, incluidng nazim Safdar Hussain, Jan Baba, Mujahid Hussain, Inayatullah and others were told by adviser to the chief minister, MPA Ziaullah Bangash, at a meeting here on Monday that he had ordered swift completion of work on the college and it would be opened soon for classes. He said that due to cost escalation more funds would be required for its construction and he would try to sanction them on priority.

He said that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had ended political interference in the health, police, education and other departments.

PASSPORT OFFICE: The passport office needs a female photographer and data entry operator as the local women are shy of giving snapshot and information by removing scarf to the male staff.

The passport office’s new assistant director, Nasir Khan, said that staff had been made bound to sit till 5pm in the office. Mr Khan took charge after suspension of the previous director and other four officials by the interior minister for taking off before office timings and remaining absent without taking leave last week.

Talking to this correspondent, the new officer said that first of all the bank challan was submitted for normal fee of Rs3,000 for 15 days delivery after which a token was issued and data was collected, followed by interview by the assistant director and thumb impression and then it was forwarded for further processing. He said that in case of urgent passport in three days the fee was Rs5,000.

ARRESTED: During a crackdown in three tehsils of Kohat the police seized a big quantity of weapons and arrested proclaimed offenders and drug peddlers on Monday.

As many as 53 other criminals were also held and hashish and arms recovered from their possession. The operation was conducted in Gumbat, Kohat and Lachi tehsils.

The seizure included five kilogrammes of hashish, six Kalashnikovs, two kalakovs, four shotguns, two rifles and 10 pistols. The alleged drug peddlers, identified as Khanana Khan, Yousuf Khan and Anwar Saeed, were booked under the Drug Act.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2019