MANSEHRA: Ulema and religious scholars of Lower Kohistan district have announced that they will be part of the police’s special campaign against honour killings.

“We appreciate the police department’s efforts to eliminate the killing of men and women in the name of honour and educate people that such killings are illegal and against Islamic injunctions,” Maulana Dildar Ahmad told a meeting called by district police officer Salman Khan in Pattan, the district headquarters of Lower Kohistan, on Monday.

The participants, including clerics Maulana Abdul Wadood, Maulana Ameez Khan, Maulana Didlar Ahmad, Maulana Kareemdad, Maulana Hadees Khan, Maulana Rizwan, Maulana Israr, Maulana Zoohr Allai and Maulana Abbas, declared honour killings a violation of Islamic teachings.

DPO promises strict action against culprits

“Killing men and women on suspicion only is a great sin and the culprits are liable to be punished strictly,” Maulana Kareemdad said.

Earlier, DPO Salman Khan said DIG of Hazara division police Qazi Jamilur Rehman had asked him and district police officers of Upper Kohistan and Kolai-Palas for an effective crackdown on honour killings.

“This [honour killings] is a stigma attached with Kohistan society. You should create public awareness to prevent this,” he said.

The DPO asked ulema to highlight the issue in Friday sermons and other programmes.

THREE KILLED: Three people were killed in separate incidents here on Monday.

Miro Khan, 32, died of critical injuries shortly after falling into a deep ravine while cutting grass in the mountainous Mohri area of Siren valley.Meanwhile, an elderly man was found dead in the Kunhar River in Garhi Habibullah area.

He was identified as Khalilur Rehman in the civil hospital. The police handed over the body to the family after completing medicolegal formalities.

Also, young man Umar was gunned down in Dodial area.RE-ORGANISATION: Former MPA of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Sardar Zahoor has said the party’s re-organisation at the district and tehsil levels has been completed and the new office-bearers would be named soon.

He told reporters that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had miserably failed to deliver the goods to the misery of the people.

“More and more people are joining us [PML-N] and the time is not far when our leader Nawaz Sharif will form the government to steer the country out of the current crisis,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2020