Travel agent recovered

ISLAMABAD, Dec 26: A travel agent kidnapped for ransom in capital was recovered from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa along with one of his captors on Monday.

The victim – Shoaib Butt – a resident of Korang Town went missing on December 22. A search was conducted to trace him when his family approached the police, which led to the recovery of his car, found abandoned at Lohi Bher Wildlife Park.

Next day the family received a call in which the caller demanded Rs50 million for the release of the victim. Following the call a kidnapping for ransom case was registered with Koral police.

The investigators with the help of SIM (subscriber identity module) card and phone’s IMEI (international mobile equipment identity) number traced the location in Peshawar. But the kidnappers left the city before the investigators reached there.

Later their presence was detected in Swabi, where the investigators along with local police raided a house and recovered the victim. The owner of the house, Mukammal Khan, was also arrested.

During interrogation he confessed to having kidnapped Shoaib Butt along with his brothers, Shahnawaz Khan and Ismail Khan, the police added. —Staff Reporter

Cattle market to be set up

RAWALPINDI, Dec 26: Rawal Town Municipal Administration (RTMA) will establish a cattle market at the newly-constructed slaughterhouse to discourage illegal cattle pens established on different roads.

The RTMA spokesperson, Tahir Mehmood Khan, told Dawn that the cattle market would be established at the slaughterhouse near Poori Pul here. He said after getting approval from the provincial government, Rawal Town Administrator Saif Anwar Jappa had directed the town officer to make all necessary arrangements in this regard.

He said the RTMA would announce date for the auction of contract for the said market soon. He said the butchers would get an opportunity to buy animals and get them slaughtered at one place which would save transport charges that they previously had to bear and the market would also ensure that people get healthy and hygienic meat.— A Reporter

Taxila school without furniture

TAXILA, Dec 26: Students of Taxila Cantonment Board school are forced to sit on rugs in this chilly weather, giving rise to cases of pneumonia and chest infection among children.

Talking to Dawn, some parents said this had affected normal academic activities in the school as most students did not attend classes due to illness and biting cold.

Salma Bano, a mother of a child, said the administration had recently increased monthly fee by 20 per cent but they did not improve basic facilities in the school.

Another mother, Naz Bibi, said her son had fallen ill many a time during the month because of sitting on rugs.

She said she paid monthly fee of Rs450 for her son studying in Grade II but there was no furniture in his classroom. She said it was better to enroll her son in government school where at least furniture was available and education was provided free of cost. Some parents said they had taken up the issue with the authorities concerned but without result.

They said the students were charged Rs50 as library fee but the school did not have the facility.

When contacted, the school’s principal, Musarrat Khalid, confirmed the state of affairs in the school. She said the facility had been withdrawn after students damaged the furniture. She said provision of furniture was the responsibility of cantonment board authorities and they would provide it soon.— Correspondent

Expired permits

ISLAMABAD, Dec 26: Islamabad Transport Authority (ITA) has launched campaign against the transporters who hold expired permits.

According to the sources, ITA has constituted special teams deployed at various points of the city to check whether the permits have expired or not.

These teams will impound the vehicles which will not be released till their permits are renewed. Secretary ITA will head these teams and surprise traffic checking on various routes will be also made.—APP