LAKKI MARWAT: Former provincial transport minister Malik Shah Mohammad Khan was sent to jail on Saturday after the Anti-Terrorism Court in Bannu rejected the police’s request for his further physical remand for investigation in the May 9 riot case.

During the hearing, the police requested the court for a seven-day physical remand of Shah Mohammad, who is also Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s provincial vice-president, but the court rejected the request and sent the PTI leader to jail.

During a brief chat with journalists outside the courtroom, the former minister said he always respected law and that there was no pressure on him from any quarter.

The former minister’s bail-before-arrest was cancelled on Nov 20 by the ATC Bannu, and he was remanded to police for five days.

Meanwhile, University of Lakki Marwat registrar Inamullah Khan has underlined the need for setting up more girls’ higher secondary schools to promote female education in the district.

Speaking at a prize distribution ceremony organised by a local welfare organisation at government higher secondary school, Abakhel, on Saturday, he said the existing three girls’ higher secondary schools in the district were insufficient for a large number of students.

He requested the district education officer Mohammad Ilyas Khan Khattak, who also attended the event, to take up the matter with the quarters concerned.

Mr Inamullah said the university planned to set up a model school and college, a botanical garden and a peasantry to provide students with quality education and recreational facilities.

He appreciated the members of the reformative movement for their services in the fields of education, hygiene and sanitation.

During the ceremony, students sang national songs and presented tableaus.

Mr Inamullah and DEO Ilyas Khattak distributed trophies and certificates among the students who got positions in matriculation and higher secondary school certificate examination results.

Separately, during the ongoing anti-power theft and recovery campaign, Peshawar Electric Supply Company officials suspended power supply to rural areas from three feeders in the 132KV Tajazai grid station over high losses.

An official said the action was taken on the directives of Pesco additional chief engineer Nadir Zaman Kundi.

He said several rural localities would face electricity suspension due to the shutting of power feeders, including Tajazai, Umarabad and Abdulkhel.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2023