KOHAT: The district administration has distributed Rs28 million as compensation among the families of the Tanda Dam boat tragedy victims.

The compensation package had been announced by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa caretaker chief minister.

Shah Mehmood, chairman of Sons of Kohat, a platform of social organisations, told Dawn on Saturday that Rs500,000 each had been given to the families of the deceased children and Rs200,000 to those injured.

Meanwhile, Rehamat Khattak, an adviser in the caretaker government, visited the families of the victims on Saturday and offered Fateha for the departed souls.

GUN BATTLE: A gun battle erupted between Sunnikhel and Akhorwal tribes of the Darra Adamkhel tribal subdivision over coal mines here on Saturday, a local official said.

Area tehsildar Muslim Afridi told Dawn that the army had called elders from both the sides, and talks were underway to quell the firing.

He said that an army brigadier, police officials, assistant commissioner Ashrafuddin, Sunnikhel ulema council chairman Abdul Wahid and chief of Akhorwal Pir Ata Mohammad were also participating in the talks.

He said that the Sunnikhels had also caught a man of Akhorwal tribe, who was firing at them from a mountain, and handed him over to the army.

The tehsildar said that Akhorwal tribesmen were not ready to vacate the land, where the coal mines were located.

He said that several jirgas were held in the past to settle the dispute, but the Akhorwal tribesmen had turned down their decisions. He said that the Akhorwal tribe owned hundreds of mines in the area.

BUSHFIRE: A bushfire erupted in the mountains astride the Friendship Tunnel in Darra Adamkhel tribal subdivision on Saturday.

A Rescue 1122 team reached the area along with fire tenders and put out the fire. Local volunteers also took part in the fire extinguishing effort.

A rescue spokesman said that no loss of life or property was reported, adding that it couldn’t be known as to how the fire was caused.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2023