Abducted man found murdered

PARACHINAR, Dec 24: Body of a kidnapped man was recovered, while a young boy was shot dead by unknown assailants in Bagan area of Lower Kurram on Monday.

The body of Farooq, who was kidnapped few days ago, was recovered from fields in Bagan area. He was brutally killed by unknown assailants and his body was thrown at the nearby fields. Marks of torture were visible on his body, local people said.

In the second incident, unknown miscreants entered a house in the same locality and opened indiscriminate fire, killing 12-year-old Azizullah and critically injuring wife of Gul Bahadar and her 18-year-old son Fazal Haq. The attackers managed to escape after the incident.—Correspondent

Reviving scouting in schools

LAKKI MARWAT, Dec 24: Speakers at a function called for reviving scouting in state-run schools as it plays significant role in physical, mental and spiritual development of youth besides making them useful citizens.

The function was arranged by district boys scouts association with the support of district elementary and secondary education department at Government High School Adamzai on Monday to mark the birth anniversary of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

Speakers said scouting also helped in character building of youth. They said local education department was taking practical steps for promoting scouting activities in schools. They said father of the nation was aware of the importance of scouting so he always stressed the need for inculcating spirit of scouting in young people.

They also asked the students to apply on themselves the message of the Quaid that they should spare no effort in serving humanity. Students also took part in debate competition.—Correspondent

Graveyard land encroached

PESHAWAR, Dec 24: Residents of various localities of Swabi have expressed concern over the illegal occupation of graveyard land at Kalabat village and demanded of the government to take action against the accused.

Speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Monday, a group of elders led by representatives of a local Islahi jirga said an influential mafia was behind the land grabbing. “We have time and again met the local officials of police and district administration but no action has been taken against the land grabbers,” Haji Shah Afsar Khan, chairman of the jirga, informed.

He said some people had started constructing buildings in the graveyard with the support of a former lawmaker. Besides, he alleged the local police were also hand in glove with the land grabbers. He appealed to chief justice of Peshawar High Court to take notice of the matter.—Bureau Report

Resolve to fight militancy

PESHAWAR, Dec 24: Minister for Information and Public Relations Mian Iftikhar Hussain has said national will never forget those who laid down their lives for the cause of peace.

He reiterated the resolve of the provincial government to fight the menace of terrorism at any cost.

This he said during his visit on Monday to the residences of Dhaki Naalbandi suicide attack, including Haji Noor Mohammad, former naib nazim Mian Pervez, Haji Mohammad Hashim and Abdul Mateen.

The minister also visited Kabuli police station to condole the death of SHO Sattar Khattak in the incident.

Sympathising with the bereaved families, the provincial minister said in this hour of grief they were not alone and the government and the nation shared their grievances.

He assured the bereaved families that the provincial government would extend all possible assistance to them. The minister offered Fateha for the departed souls.—Bureau Report

Health workers to boycott duty

CHARSADDA, Dec 24: The employees of district health department will not perform field duty, including administering polio vaccination to children, in protest against the killing of a lady health supervisor and a driver in Batgram by unknown assailants during the anti-polio drive.

The decision was taken at a meeting of paramedical association of Charsadda on Monday with association’s president Syed Rasool in the chair.

The meeting held Unicef and WHO representatives responsible for the Batgram incident and appealed to the chief justice to take suo motu action. —Correspondent

Woman dies on road

MANSEHRA, Dec 24: A woman was killed and eight people injured when a passenger van fell off a bridge into a nullah near Sathangali here on Monday.

Local police said the accident occurred when the driver lost the control of the van bound for Battal from Sathangali.

They said the dead woman was Shamim Bibi, while the injured included driver Wazir Mohammad, Gulzar, Mohammad Fiaz, Mohammad Kareem, Farkhanda Bibi, Sajida Bibi and Zaitoon Bibi.

Police said the injured were shifted to King Abdullah Teaching Hospital, Mansehra, where doctors referred two of them to Ayub Medical Complex Hospital, Abbottabad over critical condition.

Police later registered a case of the accident and began investigation.—Correspondent