Drive against power thieves

PESHAWAR, July 24: The Pesco took four power transformers into custody during a drive launched against illegal hooks and power thieves on Tuesday.

According to a Pesco spokesman the action was taken by detection teams which had been constituted following directives from the Pesco chief executive throughout the province.

A detection team in Peshawar circle removed four distribution transformers which were used for power pilferage, which caused Rs30, 000 daily loss to the power company.

Similarly, a direct connection was detected to a commercial plaza in Gulberg Peshawar. Pesco detection teams also replaced tempered and defective meters in Wazir Bagh sub-division and in Tajabad area of Khyber circle. Also in Abbottabad, the detection team disconnected defaulters. In Swat too the raiding teams disconnected illegal hooks and registered cases against the accused. —Bureau Report

Help sought for ailing boy

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, July 24:  Parents of a teenaged boy have appealed to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and other welfare bodies to help their child undergo heart surgery in India. The boy, Farhan, 12, is suffering from congenital heart ailment.

Qamar Zaman, who runs an auto-rickshaw in Tank bazaar, told media his only son developed congenital heart problem few years ago. He said he earned barely enough to feed his family.

Qamar Zaman said being the sole bread earner of his six-member family, he could not meet the healthcare requirements of his beloved son.

He said Farhan was a brilliant student of grade-5 but got struck off the school roll due to his prolonged absence after he developed hole in the heart.

He said he took Farhan to Children Hospital Lahore, where doctors diagnosed him with congenital heart disease with a cost of overRs1 million. —Correspondent

Nine outlaws arrested

LAKKI MARWAT, July 24: Police arrested nine outlaws, including five gamblers, in separate raids on Tuesday.

Acting on a tip-off, a contingent of Naurang circle police assisted by personnel of Elite Force and ATS launched a search operation in Tap Takhtikhel area, bordering frontier tribal region,” said an official.

He said the law enforcers destroyed hideouts of criminal gangs and arrested three wanted criminals. “They were identified as Rahimullah, Nek Salam and Ismael,” he said, adding police recovered two shotguns, a pistol and good number of bullets from them.

Separately, a police party raided a gambling den near Abakhel village and arrested five people identified as Shafiullah, Gul Badshah, Khan Sardar, Naimatullah and Motabar. Ghaznikhel police held a narcotics’ seller identified as Mobeen Khan in Tajazai village. A Kalashnikov rifle, bullets and a small quantity of heroin were recovered from him. —Correspondent   

Power feeder installed

PESHAWAR, July 24: Speaker, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Karamatullah Khan Chagharmati on Tuesday inaugurated a new feeder in Naghuman grid station.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Chagharmati said the new feeder would help resolve the problems of low voltage and loadshedding in the area.

He said the engineers and technicians, who installed the feeder, had done a great service.

He said the country was already facing power shortage and appealed to the people to bring an end to kunda culture voluntarily as it overloaded the system. Mr Chagharmati urged the people to install electricity meters at their houses and avoid use of electric heaters in winter. He said the protection of Wapda installations was their national obligation. He said provision of gas had brought ‘decline’ in power consumption.—APP

School to be upgraded

PESHAWAR, July 24: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Technical Education and Mineral Development Nawabzada Mehmood Zeb Khan has said a new power transformer will soon be installed in village Attala of Bagh Dushkhel union council in Lower Dir.

Addressing separate gatherings in Dushkhel UC, he said primary school for boys in Mina village will be upgraded to middle level while old power transformer in Manogai village of the same union council will be replaced with new one.

The gathering beside former nazim Bagh Dushkhel union council Mohammad Israr Khan was also attended by hundreds of PPP workers and elders. During the function, Jehan Bahadar, Mohammad Ayaz Khan, Farooq Khan, Akhtar Ali, Nasir Hussein, and Sher Malik Khan along with their families and associates announced joining the PPP.—APP

University workers hold demo

PESHAWAR, July 24: Class four employees of public sector universities on Tuesday held a protest demonstration against federal and provincial governments for failing to provide them the announced 20 per cent increase in salaries.

Holding banners and placards inscribed with their demands, the protesters gathered at Sher Shah Suri Road chanting slogans against the government.

Talking to media persons, Secretary All Class IV Employees Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities Federation Zafar Ali said despite repeated requests, the government had not yet provided the announced funds to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa AG for increase in their salaries.

He lamented that such delaying tactics had created unrest among the poor employees because with their low salaries they could not even purchase daily use items and had to take loans especially during Ramazan. —Bureau Report

Free, fair election

PESHAWAR, July 24: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Labour Sher Azam Khan Wazir said on Tuesday the government will ensure free, fair and transparent election. He added appointment of undisputed personality, Fakhruddin G Abrahim, as new Chief Election Commissioner reflects the political wisdom of government.

“Our leadership desires holding free, fair and transparent election. The government has appointed a highly upright and undisputed personality as newly chief election commissioner so that no candidate can raise questions on election results,” he said while talking to media persons here.

He said those parties who enjoyed mandate of people would form next government. He said PPP would get overwhelming majority in upcoming election on the basis of performance. He said the government under the leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf was focusing on solution to peoples problems.—APP

Flood-hit people seek help

PESHAWAR, July 24: The flood affected people from Malakand, Nowshera and Charsadda on Tuesday requested the government to release the fourth installment of Watan Card before Eidul Fitr.

The affected families urged the government to expedite the process and ensure early release of funds so that they could celebrate Eid festivities with other people of the country. The affected people said that the government had already released three installments of cash assistance for the flood affected and demanded release of the fourth installment, according to a press release issued here on Tuesday.—APP