SHANGLA: Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Seth on Monday inaugurated the newly-built sub-jail in Bisham.

Speaking at a ceremony on the occasion, has assured the local lawyers of considering their demands at an upcoming meeting.

IG prisons Masud-ur-Rehman, PHC registrar Wajihuddin, the deputy commissioner and the district police officer Shangla and lawyers were present on the occasion.

The chief justice said the establishment of the sub-jail had been a longstanding demand of the Shangla people as the local prisoners had been kept in jails in Buner, Lower Dir and Swat, and it was difficult for police to produce under-trials in courts. He said additional portions would also be built at the sub-jail soon.

“I pleaded the Shangla coal miners’ compensation cases even as the local religious clerics had issued fatwas against me, but I fought for the mineworkers’ rights,” the PHC chief justice said.

In July 2018, Justice Waqar Seth had allocated funds from the provincial development fund for construction of the sub-jail in Shangla.

Earlier, Shangla district bar president Fayyaz Ahmed and member KP Bar Council Haq Nawaz demanded of the chief justice to take notice of the murder of former district education officer, Kolai Pallas, Nawab Ali.

Later, the PHC registrar told mediapersons that a district jail had also been approved for Shangla.

On the occasion, the local lawyers presented traditional gifts to the PHC chief justice and other guests.

CONSTABLE COMMITS SUICIDE: A policeman committed suicide by shooting himself dead with a pistol at his house on Monday.

A police spokesman identified the deceased as elite force constable Mohammad Ali. He said the DPO had formed an investigation team to probe the case and submit the report.

He said the father of the policeman had stated in his report to the police that family rushed to Ali’s room after hearing gunshots and found him lying in a pool of blood.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2020