HARIPUR: Gunmen killed a couple in the remote Mohri Pir Bux village in the limits of Kotnajibullah union council, police said here on Tuesday.

They said it was a case of the so-called targeted killing over a marriage.

Shazia Bibi told police that she was sitting with her husband, Jehangir Khan, and his second wife, Bakhsheeda Bibi, in their room on Monday night when Baz Gul and Said Gul barged in and fired gunshots at Khan and Bibi.

She added that the couple died immediately, while the gunmen fled before the arrival of neighbours.

The woman said Bibi was the former wife of Baz Gul, so he was upset with the couple over their recent marriage.

The police registered a case of double murder against the accused. However, no arrest was made until night.

Meanwhile, the beneficiaries of Life Chances Fund-55 (LCF-55) project received handicraft DIY (do it yourself) kits, decoration DIY kits, sewing machines, and makeup kits for establishing their own businesses here the other day after undergoing a training programme.

The goods were given away to them by caretaker Chief Minister retired Justice Arshad Hussain Shah during a special ceremony at the University of Haripur, where Vice-Chancellor Prof Shafiqur Rehman was also in attendance.

The project team comprised principal investigator Dr Abdul Majid and Prof Mohammad Yasir.

Under the project supported by the Higher Education Commission, 103 people received guidance and support for putting up micro-enterprises.

They said the University of Haripur executed the project titled “Vocational Training and Access to Decent Work for Women Domestic Workers, Transgender Individuals, and Persons with Disabilities: Reflections on Gender, Labour, and Equality for Social Inclusion of Disadvantaged Groups of Hazara Division.”

They said the project was meant to address the fundamental rights of marginalised communities, including transgender people, women domestic workers, and persons with disabilities, acknowledging the United Nations’ recognition of access to decent work as a fundamental human right.

Dr Majid said the project team studied the challenges faced by those groups in accessing decent work.

He said sessions of extensive training and psychological counselling were held in Haripur, Abbottabad and Mansehra districts to equip people with necessary skills.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2023