MANSEHRA: Torghar tribesmen on Sunday blocked the Darband-Thakot Road for hours after Judbah police station SHO dragged and slapped the driver of a free flour truck.

The angry protesters raised slogans against the SHO.

“The flour distribution was going on smoothly, but the SHO dragged the driver out of his vehicle and slapped him publicly after he started shifting share of some villagers to a godown to be delivered the next day,” Farmanullah, a local JUI-F leader, told protesters.

He alleged that the police had been creating hurdles in smooth and just distribution of free flour.

The protesters opened the road after assistant commissioner, Judbah, Hasrat Khan assured the elders that an inquiry would be initiated against the SHO.

BISP ASSISTANCE: Local body representatives in Oghi on Sunday demanded of the government to transfer quarterly instalments of Benazir Income Support Programme to the accounts of beneficiaries before Eidul Fitr.

“The women beneficiaries from different villages frequently visit the National Database and Registration Authority’s office in Oghi to get the cash assistance, but to no avail,” councillor Sahib Gul told reporters.

“Eidul Fitr is around the corner, but women beneficiaries are finding it hard to get the much-needed financial assistance to celebrate the auspicious occasion with their families,” he regretted.

The LG representative demanded swift disbursement of cash to facilitate the deserving people.

MOBILE APP LAUNCHED: Police on Saturday launched ‘Hotel Watch App’ to monitor movement of outlaws across the district.

“This app contains criminal record of the outlaws. Hoteliers will put the bio-data of each guest staying in their hotels into the app, which will appear on the police’s central monitoring system,” assistant superintendent of police Nayab Ramazan told a group of hoteliers in Lari Adda area.

She said the hotels and inns were being linked to the app, which would be monitored by the police at the central control room and officers on their cell phones.

She said the app could monitor the movement of outlaws and criminals, helping police to act accordingly.

Ms Ramazan asked hoteliers to extend cooperation to the police by properly feeding data of every visitor into the app.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2023