LAKKI MARWAT: Residents of Nurar area staged a demonstration on Saturday following the killing of a citizen in a mortar shell attack in Bannu. The protesters placed the body of the deceased, Aftab Ali, in front of Miryan police station and blocked Janikhel road to vehicular traffic.

Speakers stated that Aftab had been seriously wounded a few days earlier when a mortar shell fired from an unknown direction hit him.

They explained that the injured citizen succumbed to his injuries during treatment. “The victim was a peaceful citizen, and his death has left his children orphaned,” they added.

The protesters demanded that the government should take responsibility for the deceased’s family and provide a government job to one of his family members.

Assistant Commissioner Syed Abrar Ali Shah arrived at the scene and, after successfully negotiating with the representatives, persuaded the protesters to open the road. The protesters later dispersed and buried the deceased in a local graveyard.

STUDENTS EXPELLED: The administration of the University of Science and Technology Bannu expelled eight students for refusing to pay fees and torturing varsity officials.

According to a notification issued by the director of academics, the students’ admissions were suspended based on the recommendation of the disciplinary committee.

The expelled students included Faseehullah (PhD Botany), Sajid Bilor and Marwan Hasan (BS Zoology), Kifayat (MPhil Botany), Latif and Waseeullah (BS Chemistry), Abdul Wadood (BS English) and Muzammil (BS Computer Science).

Meanwhile, the township police booked the expelled students on various charges following a complaint from the university’s Deputy Director (Admin) Dr Umar Darraz Khan. The complainant told the police that during a routine inspection, the eight nominated students obstructed the inspection team from performing their official duties, incited other students to attack them, damaged the university’s property and assaulted the varsity’s officials.

The police confirmed that three students had been arrested, and an investigation into the incident was underway.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2024