Three students drown

PESHAWAR, May 6: Three students drowned while another was rescued while swimming in river Sardaryab near Naguman here on Sunday.

They were residents of Zaryab Colony. They were identified as Ali, Ishaq and Karam. They had gone to the river side along with other friends for picnic. Locals present at the site recovered the bodies with the help of boats.—Bureau Report

Two die as house catches fire

TIMERGARA, May 6: Two persons were killed when fire broke out in a house at remote Dodya Khawar village of the Adenzai tehsil on Sunday night, residents told Dawn. They said house of one Shahab ud Din caught fire due to unknown reason. Two of the inmates identified as Umar Jalil and his son Sanaullak died while trying to put out the fire.

Later volunteers from the nearby village rushed to the site and overcame the flames. The Ouch police station was unaware of the incident. An official of the police station said no one had reported the incident to police and no case in this regard had been registered.—Correspondent

Two killed on road

UPPER DIR, May 6: Two people were killed and seven others sustained injuries when a passenger jeep plunged into a deep ravine near Patrak in Upper Dir on Sunday, police said.

They said that nine passengers were traveling in the non-custom paid jeep from Siyasun Kohistan to Patrak town when the vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a ravine near Patrak.

Two passengers died on spot while the seven injured were taken to the district headquarters hospital Dir. The victims were identified as Gul Kareem and Baz Mohammad. Three of the injured were taken to Peshawar in critical condition.—Correspondent

Girl shot dead

MANSEHRA, May 6: A young girl was shot dead allegedly by her brother in Madna area here on Sunday.

The accused, Afsar Khan, allegedly opened fire on his sister Tahira Bibi, killing here on the spot and fled the area. The victim was stated to be a Hafiz-i-Quran. The motive behind the incident could not be ascertained.

The Saddar police station registered the case and started raids to apprehend the accused.

In another incident, Mohammad Nadeem was shot dead allegedly by Fazalur Rehman over a dispute on the ownership of a piece of land in Pulrah area. The accused escaped the area. The Pulrah police station registered the case.—Correspondent

Arrest of ‘killer’ demanded

CHITRAL, May 6: Former MNA from Chitral Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali has demanded of the government to re-arrest the killer of Zahid Hussain, a student of IM Science Hayatabad, Peshawar, who has been granted bail by court.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, he said that the student was innocent and his brutal murder in Hayatabad had enraged the people of Chitral.

He said despite the confession by the accused and recovery of the weapon, the accused had been freed which is injustice with the family of the deceased student.

Mr Chitrali also demanded of the provincial government to constitute a committee to probe the murder.

He warned the government that the people of Chitral would stage violent protests if the accused was not brought to book.—Correspondent

Journalists end boycott

TIMERGARA, May 6: The Timergara Press Club on Sunday ended their boycott of the functions of Pakistan People Party and People Students Federation (PSF) after assurance that the PPP and PSF workers who had misbehaved with the journalists would beg their pardon.

The PPP provincial Minister for Technical Education and Minerals Development Mahmood Zeb along with Jehan Bahadar advocate and local leaders of the PSF visited the Timergara Press Club and assured the journalists that all the workers involved in mishandling them would seek apology from them.

The minister condemned the misbehaviour of the workers with the local journalists.—Correspondent

Lakki elders join ANP

LAKKI MARWAT, May 6: Several elders of Paharkhel Thall area on Sunday joined Awami National Party.

They made announcement to this effect in a public gathering which was also attended by ANP district chapter president Sadruddin advocate.

Speaking on the occasion, elders Ahmad Nawaz, Sanaullah, Zahidullah, Mohammad Khan, Mohibullah, Sarwar Khan, Abdullah, Hashim Khan and others said that they along with their supporters and family members would work hard for stabilising ANP in the backward district.

Speaking at the function, Mr Sadruddin said ANP lawmakers and activists rendered great sacrifices to restore peace in the militancy-hit province. “By bringing back normalcy and restoring peace the government accelerated the pace of development and focused on the uplift of backward and neglected parts of the province,” he said.

The ANP leader claimed that concrete measures had been taken for the development of remote and backward areas, including Lakki Marwat.

He said work on construction of bridge over river Gambila near Kot Kashmir would soon start as funds had been released for the project.—Correspondent