Four held in Nowshera

NOWSHERA, Nov 16: Four suspects were arrested here on Wednesday and weapons were recovered from their possession during a raid near Risalpur on Tuesday night.

Police said that the action was taken on a tip-off that four suspected persons were present on the Motorway for some criminal activity. The police reached the area and intercepted the car the accused were sitting in. The detained men were identified as Asif and Ali, residents of Sialkot, Nasir of Toba Tek Singh and Irfan of Faisalabad. An official said that the accused had admitted to committing crimes on the Motorway. The Risalpur police have registered a case and started investigation. — Correspondent

JI seeks end to operation

LANDI KOTAL, Nov 16: The Jamaat-i-Islami’s Khyber Agency chapter has demanded special package on the pattern of Malakand for the internally displaced families of Bara and an immediate end to the on going military operation in the area.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, the JI Khyber Agency ameer Shah Faisal regretted the suspension of registration of Bara IDPs at Jalozai camp and demanded immediate resumption of the process.He said that Bara residents had paid a heavy price for the restoration of peace in the area and opted for migrating from the area but even then peace had not been restored in Bara.He warned of a series of protests if the concerned authorities failed to restart the registration of IDPs. — Correspondent

Recovery of dues

KOHAT, Nov 16: The district accounts committee has expressed dissatisfaction over recovery of Rs2.3 million against the target of outstanding dues of Rs50 million by public health department.

The committee also directed the department to submit report about the 44 vacant posts of doctors in two government hospitals. The district coordination officer and chairman of the district accounts committee, Shahidullah Khan, while chairing a meeting of the district accounts committee in his office here asked the public health department to take legal action against defaulters. He said that if the departments could not recover the taxes, how could the government pay the salaries and carry out developmental work. He also issued directives to the public health engineering department to pay the salaries of 144 employees within two months. — Correspondent

Sugarcane price rejected

PESHAWAR, Nov 16: Leaders of various political parties have rejected the new support price of sugarcane, termed it injustice on part of millers and asked the government to play its role in this regard and facilitate the growers.

In their separate statements issued here on Wednesday National Democratic Alliance convener Khawaja Mohammad Khan Hoti and PPP-S chairman Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao said that with the passage of time sugarcane price should be increased instead of decreasing it.

They said that at the crushing time in 2010 the per 40kg price had been fixed at Rs337 but in 2011 it was reduced to Rs150, which, they added, was sheer injustice with sugarcane growers.The leaders recalled that the price of necessary inputs like fertiliser, power charges, transportation and agro-chemicals last year was very low but now the price of everything had increased manifold. — Bureau Report

Fake registration alleged

LANDI KOTAL, Nov 16: Elders of Kukikhel tribe in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency have accused the Nadra staff at a local office of registering Afghan refugees as Pakistani nationals and demanded transfer of ‘corrupt’ officials.

On Wednesday, a large number of people gathered at the Nadra office in order to protest the alleged registration of Afghan refugees and said that genuine tribesmen were being deprived of computerised national identity cards. The crowd dispersed after the concerned Nadra officials assured the protesters that the matter would be investigated and disciplinary action taken against any corrupt official. — Correspondent

PAC meets

PESHAWAR, Nov 16: Speaker, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Kiramatullah Khan has said that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the provincial assembly has started accountability of different government departments.

The meeting during debate on the audit objections for the year 2009-10 regarding departments of agriculture, livestock and cooperatives noted that most of the objections were raised due to failure of the department concerned in provision of required record, a handout said Timely provision of required record to the audit parties could help save precious time of the PAC, the meeting observed.

The committee directed recovery of about Rs5 million from different responsible officials and said that the national exchequer was being looted in the name of research by the departments of agriculture, livestock and cooperatives. — APP

Completion of road

PESHAWAR, Nov 16: Speaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Kiramatullah Khan said here on Wednesday that with the completion of Warsak road the people of Peshawar would have a modern road network that would also boost socio-economic activities in the city.

Addressing a big public meeting at Patwar Bala, he said billions of rupees were being spent on gas supply, education, health, electricity and communication projects which would definitely bring a pleasant change in the life of Peshawarites. Due to the negligence of past regimes, he said, the suburban areas of Peshawar were deprived of basic facilities. — APP