LOWER DIR: The residents of Kandaro, Khaima, Malakabad, Andheri, Manogi and Mirzabad areas continued their sit-in outside the deputy commissioner’s office for second day on Wednesday against the district administration’s failure to implement a court verdict about a decades’ long land dispute.

The protesters chanted slogans against the district administration.

Addressing the protesters, elders, including Malik Aslam Pervez, Malik Ali Bakht, Malik Farooq Iqbal, Malik Bakhtawar Jan, Malik Baber Shah and others, said they had submitted an application with the deputy commissioner, seeking implementation of the court order, but to no avail.

The elders demanded of Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, chief secretary and commissioner Malakand division to implement the verdict without delay.

The elders said they had waited for 50 years for the court to decide the fate of the Shatai Dara land dispute, but the district administration was using delaying tactics in implementing it.

They warned the district administration would be responsible for any untoward incident in case the implementation of the court ruling was delayed further.

They announced to continue the sit-in till the district administration implemented the decision.

The land dispute involves the residents of Shatai Dara and Malakani Ghara.

MAN DIES ON ROAD: A schoolteacher died when a car he was travelling in hit a roadside rock in Dheri Talash on Wednesday.

The deceased, Qari Mohammad Ihsanullah of Talash, was coming home after school.

He was rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital, Timergara, in critical condition, where he succumbed to injuries.

PHD THESIS DEFENDED: Azizul Hakim, a PhD scholar from the department of mathematics, University of Malakand, has successfully defended his PhD thesis.

He has published seven research papers in various reputable national and international journals.

His external examiners were Prof Mohammad Shabir of department of mathematics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, and Dr Abdul Hanan Sheikh, associate professor, Institute of Business Management, Karachi.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2022