CHARSADDA, March 29: Celebrations turned into mourning when two guests were killed by celebratory gunfire during a wedding ceremony here on Thursday.

Police said that two guests, Gul Haider and Mir Aslam, were killed by bullets allegedly fired by Farmanullah – brother of bridegrooms Hassanullah and Wasifullah – to celebrate the weddings in Karkani area here in the jurisdiction of Battagram police station.

The deceased were laid to rest amid moving scenes in the area. The police registered an FIR against the accused, Farmanullah, on the complaint of Gul Haider’s brother.

In another incident, unknown assailants gunned down a trader in Sardheri bazaar here. The assailants came on a motorbike and opened indiscriminate fire on Fida Mohammad Khan, killing him on the spot. Sardheri police station has registered an FIR of the case.

POLICE INEFFICIENCY: Sarafa Association, Charsadda, on Thursday staged a protest demonstration against police inefficiency and set a three-day deadline for them to lodge an FIR against the alleged dacoits and recover the looted money from the accused.

The protestors, led by the association’s president Iftikhar Hussain, held a protest rally here at Farooq Azam Chowk, which was addressed by Mutahidda Shopkeepers Federation president Hakeemullah, Maulana Salahuddin, Faqir Hussian and others.

The speakers also demanded dismissal of police officials hesitating to take action against the accused. They warned to stage a sit-in before the office of DPO, Charsadda, if action was not taken in three days.

However, SHO Charsadda city Ihsanullah told Dawn that they had arrested the accused and recovered the looted money. He said that charge-sheet would be made after investigations.

FAIR ELECTIONS: Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) youth wing central president Capt (retired) Safdar Khan said on Thursday that fair and transparent general election was the only solution to the prevailing crisis.

He was talking to media persons after offering condolences over the demise of Mujahid Khan, brother of PML-N district leader Aurangzeb Khan, of Kot at his residence here on Thursday.