148 arrested in Peshawar

PESHAWAR, Dec 24: Peshawar police claimed arresting 148 alleged criminals, including 30 proclaimed offenders, during raids in parts of the provincial metropolis on Saturday.

A statement issued here said that weapons had also been recovered from possession of the accused. It was stated that of the arrested outlaws three were women. Some of the proclaimed offenders were identified as Ibrahim, Ms Shazia, Aurangzeb, Attaullah, Javaid, Miskin, Imtiaz, Ms Pukraj, Ajmal, Gul Hassan, Ms Baghi Roshan, Bashir, Zahid, Manzoor, Ishaq, Noor Habib, Zafar Ali and Zubair Shah.

Fourteen Kalashnikovs, seven Kalakovs, 44 pistols, six rifles and hundreds of cartridges were seized during the raids. The suspected persons were under interrogation.—Bureau Report

‘Govt to complete term’

TIMERGARA, Dec 24: Provincial Minister for Livestock and Dairy Development Haji Hidayatullah on Saturday said the government would complete its term and was committed to initiating mega projects in far-flung areas of the province.

He was addressing inaugural ceremony of a suspension bridge at Khall, which according to him would be reconstructed at a cost of Rs40 million. The bridge had been washed away by flash floods last year.

The minister said the provincial government, PDMA and PaRRSA, had resumed reconstruction and rehabilitation work in Lower Dir. “Billion of rupees are being spent on rebuilding damaged schools and bridges in the area.”—Correspondent

Militants’ infiltration

LAKKI MARWAT, Dec 24: The FR Lakki administration has warned the Bettani tribesmen to stop penetration of militants into the tribal region under an agreement they had signed with the administration.

The warning came after the political administration received credible reports about the infiltration of militants into the region from the adjacent tribal areas. “The administration has credible reports that militants penetrate into FR Lakki from the adjacent tribal areas,” said political agent Nisar Ahmad, while speaking at a meeting of tribal jirga the other day. Meanwhile, DCO Nisar Ahmad directed officials at the Nadra centre in Lakki city to solve problems being faced by flood victims in getting Watan Cards.—Correspondent

Gas facility approved

KARAK, Dec 24: Provincial Minister for Prisons Mian Nisar Gul has said gas facility has been approved for five villages of Karak tehsil.

Speaking at public meetings at Sraykhwa and Sangatri Mithakhel villages here on Saturday, he said the work on the gas supply schemes would start in a week. He said the new grid station at Sabirabad would be made functional in six months to resolve the loadshedding and low voltage problems of the area. He said Rs50 million had been approved for the reconstruction of Niazi Well to Palosa Sar road.—Correspondent

Deaths condoled

PESHAWAR, Dec 24: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor Masood Kausar on Saturday condemned the suicide attack on Tochi Scouts Fort in Bannu and expressed sorrow over the sad demise of nine FC men.

In a handout the governor said: “The ghastly act of terrorism speaks volumes about the frustration of the extremists.”

Expressing his condolences for the bereaved families, the governor said the great sacrifices rendered by the soldiers would be remembered with great respect. —Bureau Report