KOHAT: Public Health Engineering Department secretary Behramand Khan has directed the officials to expedite work on the Rs2 billion Indus water supply scheme to Shakardarra and resolve the problem of water shortage persisting due to falling water table in the area.

MPA Shahdad Khan said work on the scheme had been suspended several times during the last 20 years and the people of three union councils were forced to drink bitter water.

The secretary ordered the engineers to speed up work on laying pipeline from the Indus River to the town. He was accompanied by chief engineer south Naimat Ullah, executive engineer, Kohat, Kifayat Ullah and other officials.

Talking to mediapersons, the secretary said that they had put 500 water pumps on solar system which would save the government Rs505 million yearly. Similarly, there were eight water testing laboratories working in the province and soon eight more mobile ones would be established.

PROBE ORDERED: Listening to people’s complaints at the shrine of Hazrat Haji Bahadar here, DIG Kohat division Hafeez Cheema ordered an inquiry into illegal raid on a house in Mohallah Mian Badshah by SHO city.

Behramand says eight water testing labs working in province

The DIG offered the afternoon prayers at the mosque during his visit of the shrine. Later, addressing the people he said he had ordered the police to keep close liaison with the people. He said he would not tolerate false FIRs by the SHOs.

There one Abid Khan stood up and apprised him that the SHO city raided his house the other day and accused him of selling drugs. The DIG ordered strict action against the SHO.

The PRO of the district police officer told this correspondent that Abid had been nominated in several cases of drug peddling and smuggling in Kohat and Punjab and also ran a brothel. Without naming an elder and a councillor, he said they had asked the police to take action against Abid for polluting environment of the Mohallah.

ARRESTED: Jarma police arrested three women here at Muslimabad checkpost on the Indus Highway who were trying to smuggle 18 kilogrammes of hashish to Karachi and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday.

In the first attempt, a woman Khayal Bibi of Tank was held from a Karachi-bound bus with six kilogrammes of hashish. Similarly, Sameena Bibi was arrested from a Tank-bound coach at the same checkpost with six kilogrammes of hashish. In another case, one Jannat Bibi, also from Tank, was held from a coach going to Tank on similar charges.

They were taken to the police station and then sent to prison.

Meanwhile, Jarma police SHO Qismat Khan raided a house in Surgul and held a proclaimed offender wanted in a murder case. The accused, Jannat Mir, was moved to the police station.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2020