Policeman shot dead

RAWALPINDI, May 30:  An official of capital police was shot dead by an unidentified person at a playground near Sitara Market G-7 Markaz on Wednesday night, police said.

Falak Sher, posted at Police Lines Headquarters, was heading home when he was shot dead.

According to preliminary investigation, the motive behind the murder seemed to be old enmity because his younger brother was involved in a murder case. The deceased belonged to Gujrat. — Staff Reporter

Ex-armymen robbed

RAWALPINDI, May 30: Two ex-army officers, residing in a double-storey house in Defense Housing Authority (DHA) Phase I, were robbed of cash and car, police said on Wednesday.

Maj (retired) Rao Abdul Rehman, in his complaint, saidhe was at home when the doorbell rang. As he opened the door, he found five armed persons standing outside who forced their way in.

He said Maj (retired) Farrukh Mehmood who lived upstairs also came down on seeing strangers. They also held him at gunpoint.

Rao Abdul Rehman said the gunmen, one of whom was speaking Pashto, injured him and forced him to give up cash and other valuables.

The robbers searched the house and escaped with Rs68,000, $4,000 and a gun. Later they went upstairs where Farrukh Mehmood lived with his family.

They robbed Rs5,000, LCD television and music system from his house and escaped in Rao Abdul Rehman’s car.

The DHA has its own security system as people entering the residential area are strictly checked by the security staff and movements of vehicles are also monitored on CCTV cameras. However, till the filing of this report, there was no trace of the vehicle nor the robbers.— Staff Reporter

Policemen’s repatriation

ISLAMABAD, May 30: Justice Noorul Haq N. Qureshi of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday ordered repatriation of all police officials posted in Islamabad police from the provincial police departments on deputation.

The IHC judge issued the order on the petition filed by 10 deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) and inspectors of Islamabad police challenging the postings in capital police on deputation. They contended that these postings were a hurdle to their promotions.

The petitioners had challenged the appointment of police officers including SP Umer Hayat, DSPs Ehsanullah, Raja Rahat, Parveen Fatima, Babar Mumtaz and Sajid Khan on deputation in the capital police.

They cited secretaries of establishment division and interior ministry as respondents.

The petitioners, Safeer Ahmed and others, through their counsel Syed Tayyab contended that they had been serving in Islamabad police for many years but their promotions were delayed due to deputations of the officials from provincial police departments.

Mr Tayyab said Islamabad police had no shortage of officials and many had been waiting for their due promotions for many years.

Justice Qureshi observed that under the circumstances, it should be highly repugnant to encourage deputations, which was a poison for the department and ultimately affected the working capability of the capital police.— A Reporter

Higher education

ISLAMABAD, May 30: The government will go all out to sustain and enhance levels of higher education as higher education institutions are real hubs of powering the knowledge-based economy.

Senate Chairman Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari expressed these views during a meeting with 10-member delegation of vice chancellors of universities at the Parliament House on Wednesday.

Mr Bokhari told the vice chancellors that the government was cognisant of the fact that investment in higher education was not sufficient.— A Reporter