LOWER DIR: Speakers at a ceremony here on Monday paid rich tributes to the victims of Timergara police lines blast and said that officials of security forces and police along with civilians sacrificed their lives to restore peace in the region.

The ceremony and a peace walk were organised by members of civil society and relatives of Timergara police lines blast victims.

A suicide bomber had blown up himself near the police lines mosque after Friday prayers on December 18, 2009, killing 15 worshippers and injuring 27 others.

Shakil Shaheed was also among the martyrs. His elder brother Peer Imtiaz established Shakil Shaheed Development Organisation (SSDO) to work for the welfare of children of martyrs in the district.

The function was attended by police officers, relatives of martyrs, social and political activists. They laid floral wreaths on Yadgar-i-Shuhada and offered fateha for the departed souls.

The function was addressed by DSP Iqbal Nasim, political activist Abdullah Shah, SSDO chief Peer Imtiaz Ahmad, tehsil chairman Mufti Irfanud Din, Naseeb Rawan, Anjuman Tajiran Timergara president Haji Anwarud Din, Dir Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mian Noor Alam, president of district bar Syed Kifayat Yar Bukhari, JUI-F district chief Sirajud Din, former tehsil nazim Riaz Mohammad and others.

They paid rich tributes to all the martyrs and expressed solidarity with their families.

They said that officials of security forces and police along with civilians sacrificed their lives to restore peace in the region.

SENTENCED: The court of additional district and sessions judge, Said Ameen, on Monday sentenced a man to life imprisonment for killing his wife.

The court also directed the accused, Yar Hussain, to pay Rs100,000 as fine for killing his wife Huma Gul on June 29, 2022, in his house. The court observed that prosecution proved its case against the accused.

The court ruled that the accused committed murder of his wife, which was punishable under Section 302 of Pakistan Penal Code.

However, mitigating circumstances existed in the case as the murder was not pre-planned and hence capital punishment could not be awarded to the accused.

According to the FIR, registered at Talash police station, the accused killed his wife over a petty issue.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2023