MANSEHRA: The first girls degree college in Balakot tehsil will begin classes next month in line with the Supreme Court orders.

Deciding the petition of social activist Sheeraz Mehmood Qureshi in Jan, the Supreme Court had asked the government to ensure the start of classes in the girls college from the 2019-20 academic session.

The government recently posted 19 staff members, including 12 professors and lecturers, and invited applications for intermediate classes in pre-medical, pre-engineering and arts subjects.

“Until now, 130 girls from different parts of Balakot tehsil have got admissions in the college. It’s a big milestone in the tehsil’s history,” Mr Qureshi said.

He said the local girls had to go to Mansehra and other parts of Hazara division for intermediate and degree courses as the area didn’t have a college for them.

Mr Qureshi said the Supreme Court had also ordered the government to rebuild 150 educational institutions and several health facilities, which were destroyed by the 2005 earthquake, but the orders awaited action.

“There is no progress on the development of the New Balakot City housing project. If things don’t change, I’ll move the Supreme Court for contempt proceedings against the government,” he said.

BODY RECOVERED: The divers on Wednesday recovered the body of an army sepoy, which had drowned in the Indus earlier this month.

The residents shifted the body, which was found in Torghar area, to the civil hospital in Darband. It was later sent to the Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad.

SEIZED: The district administration and food department seized a fake beverage factory and arrested five employees here on Tuesday for making unhygienic juices and drinks and packing them into bottles and cartons of famous brands.

The seized goods were disposed of Assistant commissioner Ali Sher Khan said the crackdown on unhygienic and contaminated drinks in the district would continue, while the people should support it.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2019