Constable shot dead

KOHAT, May 7: A police constable was shot dead by unidentified persons in Bara Mela area of Hangu district on Monday.

The police said constable Sheraz Hussain, who was deputed in the police lines, Hangu was on leave and had gone to his home in Bara Mela. Unknown armed men shot him dead when he was standing outside his home. The reason behind the murder could not be ascertained immediately. The Hangu police registered case and started investigation.—Correspondent

Protest against outages

MANSEHRA, May 7: Hundreds of people, including traders, on Monday took to streets and blocked vehicular traffic for hours against prolonged and unscheduled loadshedding, which has deprived daily wagers and labourers of jobs in Mansehra and its suburbs.The protesters holding banners and placards inscribed with anti-government and Wapda slogans assembled at central square after marching though various roads where they blocked traffic.

The angry protesters, who were raising slogans against Wapda, also set on fire tyres. Speaking on the occasion office-bearers of trade’s body Mohammad Ilyas, Owais Jahangir, Saeed Khan Tanoli and others said hundreds of daily wage workers had lost their jobs because of the prolonged loadshedding. They said three hours of loadshedding was carried out after only one hour of power supply.They said the government, which claimed to be the champion of peoples rights, had in fact deprived them of even basic necessities like food, power and employment.

They threatened to block the KKH if the excessive loadshedding was not ended.—Correspondent

Drowned man’s body found

TIMERGARA, May 7: The body of a taxi driver, who had drowned in the river Panjkora over two weeks ago, was recovered from the water near the Afghan refugee camp on Monday, residents told Dawn.

The cab driver, Anwar Zeb, a resident of Khall, had drowned in the river when his car skidded off the road and plunged into the river at Khall some 18 days ago.

Locals had pulled out the car from the river and had been searching the body. On Monday some people spotted a body floating on the water which was later identified as that of Anwar Zeb.—Correspondent

Students get textbooks

LAKKI MARWAT, May 7: The Al-Khidmat Foundation distributed notebooks and stationery items among the students in government primary school at Haqdadabad locality of Lakki city on Monday.

During a visit to the school a delegation of the foundation discussed with school management and teachers the problems of students and matters pertaining to bringing improvement in learning environment. The delegation consisted of its president Abdul Ghaffar Faryadi, secretary general Liaqat Ali Sayyam and media coordinator Mohammad Jibran Sanan.

The foundation’s leaders gave away notebooks, geometry boxes and stationary items to the students and urged them to concentrate on their education. They appreciated the learning and students friendly environment of the school and said the foundation was working in education, health and other sectors to help needy and deserving people. They said that provision of items would enable the students to continue education without facing any hurdle.—Correspondent

Rain likely in parts of KP

PESHAWAR, May 7: The Met Office on Monday forecasted partly cloudy weather with chances of rain and thunderstorm in D.I. Khan, Bannu, Peshawar, Mardan and Abbottabad districts, during next 24 hours.

According to the Met Office, a shallow westerly wave is affecting upper and central parts of the country. Rain with thunderstorm occurred at few places of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during last 24 hours.—APP

Scholarships for students

PESHAWAR, May 7: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will give scholarships to deserving minority students studying in the universities.

Majority of the minority students in the province are pursuing their higher education at the University of Peshawar, said a spokesman for the UoP here on Monday. As many as sixty three students from minorities are enrolled in various departments of the varsity, who belonged to Christian, Hindu, Sikh and Kalash religions. The directorate of admissions, University of Peshawar, has compiled lists of the minority students and communicated the same to the concerned government department for release of scholarships to them.—APP

Observing office timings

PESHAWAR, May 7: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa home secretary on Monday directed officials of the home and tribal affairs department and its attached departments for strict observance of office hours after the government announced two holidays in a week.

According to an official statement, the secretary home said since the officials were now enjoying two-day holiday in a week, they should observe office hours and avoid unnecessary leaves and short leaves.

“The employees should also avoid unnecessary stay in offices after office hours, which results in extra use of electricity such as ACs, fans, exhaust fans, lights, computers, internet facility, etc which is against the office decorum and not in accordance with the energy saving policy of the government.” The home secretary warned that strict disciplinary action would be taken against violators in this regard.—APP

Uplift projects in Torghar

PESHAWAR, May 7: The Commissioner Hazara Division Khalid Khan Umerzai on Monday directed the officers of the newly established Torghar district to expedite pace of development and improve coordination so that the area could be brought at par with other districts of the province.

He expressed these views while presiding over a meeting to review the ongoing projects being executed under the Rs4 billion chief minister's package, at Commissioner House, Hazara, here on Monday.

The commissioner expressed dissatisfaction over the delay of recruitment process of necessary staff in the national building institutions and slow pace of work in communication projects and directed the district administration to utilize all available resources for the district’s speedy development.—APP

Increase in allowance

PESHAWAR, May 7: Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has approved increase in special allowance of the teachers of basic medical sciences at medical colleges, MO anesthesia, district specialist and consultant anesthesia.

An official release issued here on Monday said professor (BPS-20) of basic medical science at medical college would get Rs57,000, associate professor (BPS-19) Rs46,000, assistant professor (BPS-18) Rs35,000, and lecturer (BPS-17) Rs14,000 monthly allowance. The increase in their monthly allowance amounted to Rs7,000, Rs6,000, Rs5,000 and Rs4,000, respectively.—APP