SWABI: The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement on Thursday claimed that security personnel were cracking down on its leaders and workers here and other parts of the province.

PTM Razaar tehsil head Bakhtzade Khan and Chota Lahor tehsil chief Mehran Pashteen were taken into custody on Aug 31, according to member of the party’s central committee Liaqat Yousafzai.

He told Dawn over phone from an undisclosed location that besides him, authorities had ordered the arrest of PTM leaders Khairul Amin, Mohammad Ali Dagiwal, Irfan Majnun, Mursaleen Saadi, Farhad Ali and Mohammad Usman as well.

“Our houses were raided on Wednesday night. We’ve been forced to stay in hiding,” he said.

Yousafzai insists party activists forced to stay in hiding

Mr Yousafzai claimed that he didn’t attend the PTM’s protest in Islamabad as he was caring for his sister, who was hospitalised and passed away later, but even then he was booked.

The PTM leaders insisted that the crackdown began after their party’s chairman, Manzoor Pashteen, announced a protest against the arrest of his activists.

They said orders for the detention of PTM leaders and workers were issued under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance in Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda and other districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The PTM leaders said cases were registered against the party’s activists for attending a public meeting in Islamabad on Aug 18.

They said human rights activist Imaan Mazari, former MNA Ali Wazir and PTM Islamabad leader Dr Kamran Khan along with friends had already been taken into custody for attending Islamabad’s protest.

NOC: The Higher Education Commission has issued no objection certificate for the renaming of the Swabi Women University’s clinical laboratory science department as the medical laboratory technology department.

The department’s transformation aligns its curriculum and focus with modern advancements in medical laboratory sciences, according to head of the department Dr Nain Tara.

“We are committed to providing high-quality education and training in medical laboratory sciences, equipping our students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in this critical field.”

Dr Farooq, the head of the biochemistry department, said the transition to MLT promised to bring forth innovative programs, research opportunities, and a renewed commitment to producing highly skilled professionals in the field of medical laboratory sciences.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the United Bank Limited visited the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology on Thursday and discussed with its management the ways to strengthen collaboration between the banking sector and academia to support the country’s economic growth, officials say.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2023