LOWER DIR: Dir Think Tank (DTT), a grouping of intellectuals and researchers working for regional development, on Friday demanded the early appointment of the principal to Timergara Medical College so that classes could begin from the upcoming academic session.

The demand was made during a Zoom meeting held here with the DTT founder Rahim Shah Akhunkhel in the chair.

Dr Nadeem Sheikh, a DTT member, informed the participants that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf founding chairman Imran Khan, and then chief ministers Pervez Khattak and Mahmood Khan inaugurated the medical college on three occasions since its establishment in 2013, but the classes could not be started till date.

The DTT members said no advertisement had so far been issued for the appointment of the college’s principal, which was a crucial step for beginning the classes.

The meeting was informed that about 150 lower and upper-grade staff members, including assistant professors, associate professors, superintendents and senior clerks, were receiving salaries without performing any duty, indicating a significant misuse of resources.

DTT founder Rahim Akhunkhel said he had filed a writ petition in the Peshawar High Court against the delay in the commencement of classes.

Nadeem Sheikh said the dossier for obtaining the NOC from the PMDC could only be initiated after the appointment of the college’s principal.

Dr Shaukat Ali, the college’s project director, couldn’t be contacted for his stand on the matter despite repeated attempts on his mobile phone.

SHOT DEAD: Unidentified assailants shot dead a watchman of government higher secondary school, Saddo, on Thursday night.

He was identified as Qadeem Khan, the police said, adding the watchman was lying in a pool of blood when teachers reached the school on Friday morning.

School principal Alam Zeb Khan said the assailants also took away the CCTV cameras with them.

Meanwhile, two youths, identified as Faizan, 15, and Faisal, 14, were killed and three others injured when a car plunged into a ravine in Dhero area of Maidan on Friday, residents said.

A Rescue 1122 team shifted the bodies and the injured to a hospital.

Two youth were injured when a car and a motorcycle collided in Saddo area of Timergara on Friday.

Also on Friday, a fire reduced a tyre shop along the Timergara Bypass to ashes.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2024