LOWER DIR: The Pakistan Peoples Party has announced that its chairman, Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari, will attend and address the opposition Pakistan Democratic Movement’s public rally in Batkhela area on Jan 11 (Monday).

PPP leaders Bakht Baidar Khan, Malik Azmat Khan and others told reporters in Timergara area on Wednesday that other central PDM leaders would also address the Batkhela rally.

They said the PPP would make arrangements for the rally, including security checks.

The PPP leaders said the party’s founder and country’s premier, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, had brought about a political and social change in the country for the first time.

They said the PPP had always represented the poor and downtrodden segments of society and fought for their rights.

The PPP leaders said workers of all opposition parties would attend the Batkhela rally in large numbers.

The party’s local leaders, including Mohammad Israr, Syed Mohammad Ashfaq, former MPA Zamin Khan and Khurshid Ali Khan, were also present on the occasion.

TOURNAMENT: An inter-district basketball tournament organised by the district administration was inaugurated here on Wednesday during a special ceremony.

Former district councillor Kashif Kamal was the chief guest on the occasion, where district sports officer Bakht Shahzeb, district youth officer Izharuddin and district president of the Basketball Association Khalid Shah were also present.

Mr Bakht Shahzeb highlighted the importance of sports for youth and said all possible steps would be taken for the provision of sports facilities to the residents.

Mr Izharuddin lauded the efforts of the department for the promotion of sports.

Also in the day, tehsil municipal officer of Timergara Shakil Hayat led a crackdown on polythene shopping bags and confiscated a huge amount of plastic bags.

He directed shopkeepers to use biodegradable and fabric shopping bags only as an environment-friendly measure.

The official said the administration had banned polythene bags and would make no compromise in that respect.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2021