Protesters break cordon

ISLAMABAD, March 20: Contractual employees of Nadra and traders broke security cordons and entered the Red Zone during their protest here on Tuesday.

Nadra employees were demanding that the government should regularise their services while the traders were protesting Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)’s decision to seek minute tax details from them.

Over 200 contractual Nadra employees and about 600 traders gathered at D. Chowk. They marched towards the Red Zone after breaking the security rings. Later, the Nadra employees reached their headquarters and locked its main gates. They also blocked Shahrah-i-Jamhuriat and staged protest against the administration as the police and administration officials were engaged with the traders protesting at Constitution Avenue. When the protesters pelted the police with stones, the latter resorted to baton-charge and also fired tear gas shells. Two policemen suffered injuries during the clash while over 30 protesters were arrested.

Later, the protesters again gathered in front of National Press Club and staged a protest. When the police reached there, there was another scuffle. Four more protesters were taken into custody.  — Staff Reporter

Doctors arrested

ISLAMABAD, March 20: A doctor and his wife, running a private clinic in Bhara Kahu, were arrested here on Tuesday for their alleged involvement in selling newborns, police said. They were also allegedly involved in carrying out abortion of unwanted pregnancies at their clinic.

On Tuesday, the police got information that Dr Mohammad Irshad was selling a baby boy for Rs45,000. In this regard he had got Rs35,000 in advance from a couple and the remaining Rs10,000 was to be paid on delivery of the baby. The baby was delivered by an unmarried girl at his clinic two days ago.

The police mounted a vigilance and arrested the doctor when he came to hand over the baby to the couple and shifted him to Bhara Kahu police station for interrogation. The police also raided the clinic and arrested the doctor’s wife. The couple confessed to committing the crime. — Staff Reporter

Ex-armyman held

RAWALPINDI, March 20: A former armyman was arrested and Rs1.8 million recovered from his possession after a bank robbery here on Tuesday. However, his three accomplices escaped, police said.

Malik Buddha Khan, the manager of the Habib bank Kamalabad, told Dawn that he was saw some strangers scuffling with the security guards. “First, the intruders overpowered security guards beat and injured them and snatched Rs2.3 million from the cashier.

The bandits then drove off in their car firing gunshots.

Later, a Civil Lines police patrolling team spotted the car in Deri Hassanabad area and forced the driver to stop. However, three of the bandits got down and fled while the one driving the car was caught by the police.

The arrested suspect was identified as Ahmed Iqbal, a resident of Mardan, and a former armyman. — Staff Reporter