MARDAN, July 20: Two persons were shot dead on the Shamsi Road, near the Hoti police station, on Monday night. It is alleged that three people identified as Asif Khan, Javed Khan and Naeem Khan gunned down Farhad Kashmiri and Waris Khan on suspicion that they had killed their father, Malik Dawor Khan. Malik Dawor Khan was a prominent politician and businessman of Hoti who was gunned down under mysterious circumstances two months back. His sons had not charged anyone with killing their father.

The Hoti police station has lodged an FIR against Asif, Javed and Naeem who are still at large.

HEC: An assistant professor of chemistry at the Post-graduate and Degree College Mardan, Dr Qazi Kifayatullah, has lamented that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has banned college teachers for post-doctor scholarships while only recognizing universities and degree-awarding institutions, which is injustice and discriminatory.

In a statement here, Dr Qazi mentioned that previously the University Grant Commission (UGC), which was reorganized under the name of HEC, had initiated a gigantic programme in the field of science and technology and had allocated a huge amount for highly qualified persons.

He lamented that the HEC clearly indicates in their advertisements in the papers that such post-doctoral programmes were not applicable for college teachers and only applicable for universities and degree-awarding institutions, which was discriminatory and unjust.

He said that college teachers were not prejudiced towards or jealous of the universities and degree-awarding institutions but he demanded that such programmes should be made open on merit base and college teachers should also be given a chance for higher qualification.

WATER CONTAMINATION: An elderly man of the Massedy village, Syed Jan, has said that an influential person was diverting the wastewater from the Premier Sugar Mills which was not only contaminating the drinking water but also damaging their residential area.