TIMERGARA: The director operations of the Fair Testing Services (FTS) on Saturday assured the candidates applying for teachers’ jobs that they won’t be charged any additional fee for conducting the test afresh and rejected the reports in this regard as baseless propaganda.

Talking to journalists at Chakdara here, Mr Fawad said the FTS was an independent and self-sustained body that offered quality services in testing and examinations. He rejected the allegation of paper leaks and said that some elements had been spreading negative propaganda against the organisation.

Mr Fawad said that female students in Swabi and Karak had misbehaved with the FTS supervisory staff that led to the cancellation of test for teachers’ recruitment throughout the province.

He said tests conducted by the National Testing Service (NTS) were cancelled by deputy commissioners after the papers were leaked, but no one dared to speak against the NTS.

He claimed that FTS was popular for upholding transparency and merit in conducting testing services.

TAX REJECTED: The Lower Dir traders’ bodies and hotels’ association on Saturday demanded of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to reverse the decision of taxing hotels and restaurants.

The demand was made at a meeting and later during a protest demonstration staged outside the Timergara Press Club against the government for its proposal to impose taxes on hotels.

On the occasion, president of Anjuman-i-Tajaran Timergara Haji Anwaruddin, JI leader Malik Sher Bahadar and president hotels’ association Saeed Gul said Malakand division was a tax-free zone till Dec 2023, but the present government had decided to impose taxes on hotels and restaurants in Dir. They said the owners would close their hotels and restaurants if the government did not withdraw the decision.

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNA Mohammad Bashir Khan has said his government is planning to establish the Dir Development Authority (DDA) for promoting tourism in Lower and Upper Dir districts.

He was chairing a meeting at Chakdara fishing hut on Saturday.

The MNA said the prime minister, on his request, had issued directives for setting up the DDA in order to promote tourism in Dir districts.

He said the government would build 47 kilometres long road from Chukiatan Upper Dir to Kumrat valley.

The MNA said Shahi, Binshahi, Laram Top, Maskini Darra and Barawal had great potential for tourism development.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2019