SWABI: Two persons, including a teenage Afghan, were killed and one was injured in a firing incident occurred in Maneri Bala Gar village here on Tuesday, the police said.

A woman, in her complaint, told the Swabi city police that his son, Adnan Khan, 25, who worked as a labourer at the house of Inayat Khan, was killed by the latter and his accomplices when he demanded his labour. She said her son was killed when he stepped out of his house after being called by the accused on phone.

However, Aamir Khan, a resident of Sharif Abad village, told the police that when he along with an Afghan national, namely Sajjad, 19, reached near the house of Adnan on a motorcycle, Adnan and his brother, Zeeshan opened fire, killing Sajjad on the spot and leaving him (Aamir) injured.

SHO Swabi city police station Ajab Durrani said they had started investigations to arrest the accused nominated in the case.

Meanwhile, seven people, including five women, were injured when a rickshaw overturned on Swabi-Topi Road at Maini Chowk, Rescue 1122 officials said.

A rescue team shifted the injured to the District Headquarters Hospital, Swabi.

CROP DAMAGED: The growers on Tuesday said the recent rain spell and continuous cloudy weather had badly affected their wheat crop.

Speaking at a meeting on Tuesday, they said low temperatures had caused leaf rust at a critical stage of the crop. They said high temperatures were needed for ripening of the crop.

“The cold weather will likely erode crop yield, shattering the expectations of growers to get a healthy yield this year,” said Zar Ali Khan of Maneri Bala village.

The farmers said a windstorm and hailstones had also flattened the wheat crop in the district.

Liaqat Yousafzai, a growers’ leader, said harsh weather conditions were likely to reduce crop yield by 50 per cent.

Khalid Khan, Pakistan Kisan Board’s Swabi president, said farmers were expecting a bumper yield, but rains had dashed their hopes. He said more rains would prove devastating for the crop. He said the government should provide financial assistance to the growers to help them make up for the lost yield.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2023