MANSEHRA: Scores of people took to the streets and blocked the Balakot-Naran section of Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road to protest the demolition of a widow’s house by influential persons in Kawai area here on Saturday.

The protesters, who blocked the artery by setting old tyres on fire, demanded an immediate action against Shad Mohammad Khan and Mushtaq Khan, who allegedly expelled Naseema Bibi and her family from own house before pulling it down.

Qasim Lala, Afzalur Rehman and Babu Shafique demanded Chief Minister Mehmood Khan intervene to dispense justice to the widow.

They warned that the people would demonstrate again if the demanded wasn’t met. The protesters dispersed to restore traffic after assistant commissioner of Balakot Nawab Sameer Leghari showed up and promised the early resolution of the issue.

HELD: The police on Saturday arrested a man for torching a forest in Oghi area earlier this year.

Jan Mohammad had been at large since May this year.

Meanwhile, a resident of Khawari area have complained about the police’s failure to recover his kidnapped wife and two children. Gohar Rehman told reporters that his wife and two children were kidnapped earlier this year. He demanded the provincial police chief ensure the early recovery of abductees.

CANCER SCREENING: Scores of women visited a free medical camp for breast cancer screening here on Saturday.

The Atomic Energy Cancer Hospital organised the camp at the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital.

Head of the camp Dr Asif told reporters that the breast cancer incidence was high among women in Hazara division, so free screening camps were held in various districts.

He said the camp had a women conchologist, a radiologist and doctors, and a mobile ambulance equipped with high-tech screening machines. Dr Asif said the early detection of breast cancer was imperative for better treatment.

“As our society is very conservative, women don’t undergo regular medical checkup. Keeping that thing in mind, we’ve taken women doctors and other staff here for cancer screening,” he said.

The camp head said a breast cancer screening camp would be held in Haripur next week.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2019