LOWER DIR: The police fired in the air and also baton-charged the students, who were protesting at the Shaheed Chowk here on Monday against the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Malakand Chakdara, for awarding them low marks in the intermediate examinations.

A number of students of government and private colleges gathered outside the Timergara Press Club and blocked the road, demanding impartial rechecking of their papers.

The protesters were of the view that the board had failed thousands of students only to collect money from them as they would have to reappear in examinations.

The police fired in the air and also used batons to disperse the protesters when they refused to reopen the road. The protesters dispersed after the police action, while some of them were also taken into custody.

Meanwhile, officials of Elite Force also misbehaved with Ihsanullah Shakir, vice-president of the Timergara Press Club, when he tried to make a video of the police action.

The policemen also tried to snatch his camera and mobile phone.

Later, journalists chanted slogans against the police officials for ‘manhandling’ their colleague for covering the event.

Taking notice of the journalists’ protest, district police officer Ikramullah ordered an inquiry, also sent the policemen involved in behaving with the journalist to the Timergara Police Lines.

OATH-TAKING: Special assistant to chief minister on prisons, MPA Malik Shafiullah Khan has said the business community has a key role to play in national development as they are the backbone of the economy.

He was addressing a function after administering oath to the newly-elected cabinet members of Dir Chamber of Commerce and Industries on Monday.

Mr Shafiullah said the government was trying to resolve problems of the business community. He said the government had approved establishment of an industrial zone in Lower Dir.

He said Chief Minister Mahmood Khan had announced Rs50 million for establishment of an office of the chamber.

The lawmaker said establishment of Timergara Medical College was the government’s achievement. He clarified there had been no irregularities in recruitment process in the medical college, but some people were politicising the matter.

The Dir chamber announced Rs300,000 for installation of CCTV cameras in the Timergara city.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2022