Man commits suicide

GHALANAI: Jan 20: A man committed suicide after killing his school-going cousin in Utmanzai area of Pandiali tehsil of Mohmand Agency on Sunday.

Locals said that the man, Sawab Jan, shot dead his cousin Ali Rehman, student of 7th class, and later committed suicide with a hand grenade.

APA Ekkaghund Fahad Wazir confirmed the incident and said that the man was mentally deranged. —Correspondent

JI turns down ANP invitation

PESHAWAR, Jan 20: Jamaat-i-Islami here on Sunday turned down invitation of the Awami National Party to participate in an all parties’ conference convened by the latter aimed at evolving an effective strategy against terrorism.

According to a press release issued here, the decision was taken at a meeting chaired by provincial chief of JI Prof Mohammad Ibrahim Khan at Markaze Islam, JI’s provincial headquarters. Besides provincial leadership, the meeting was also attended by JI central general secretary Liaqat Baloch.

After hours long consultations it was decided that JI would stay away from the APC in protest against police action on peaceful protesters of Bara protesting the brutal killing of their relatives, the press release said. —Bureau Report

Bacha Khan death anniversary

PESHAWAR, Jan 20: The Awami National Party has said that relentless political struggle by Bacha Khan and his son Khan Abdul Wali Khan played instrumental role in ending the British enslavement and restoration of human rights in the subcontinent.

In a statement issued on the eve of their death anniversary, ANP secretary general Arbab Mohammad Tahir Khan said that the sacrifices rendered by the two leaders were matchless due to which both would long be remembered.

The services they rendered for the promotion of democracy were guiding principles for the coming generations, he said.He added that the party workers and other people will observe the death anniversary of the two leaders at district and tehsil levels.

The main ceremony will take place at Nishtar Hall on Monday, where party’s central president Asfandyar Wali Khan and provincial president Afrasiab Khattak will also speak. —Bureau Report

GRC pledges support

PESHAWAR, Jan 20: The German Red Cross (GRC) for Pakistan has pledged its continued support to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa people affected by natural and man-made disasters.

This was stated by Hans Bochove, head of GRC delegation, during a meeting with representatives of the KP chapter of Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) here on Sunday. She said her organisation’s partnership with PRCS in supporting vulnerable segments spanned over a period of more than 25 years and was proud to be helping the people desperately needing help.

She appreciated the PRCS’s endeavours for extending assistance to over 0.85 million flood-stricken residents of Chitral, Shangla and Kohistan districts where both the organisations were running 10 basic health units from the last four years.

PRCS secretary Syed Ali Hassan said that the society had infrastructure in 11 districts where volunteers helped the population in events of terrorism, floods and earthquakes etc. —Bureau Report

Gas explosion kills woman

PESHAWAR, Jan 20: A woman was killed and seven others including three children were injured as result of a gas explosion in Khamosh Colony area here on Sunday.

An official of Yakatoot police station told Dawn that the explosion took place due to gas leak in a room where the women and her children were asleep.

Early in the morning, when the woman woke up and lighted a matchstick a huge explosion took place destroying the room and partially damaging rest of the house, police said.

Meanwhile, a major portion of Peshawar city remained without gas supply on Sunday after a pipeline was damaged during work on Ring Road. General Manager Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Mohammad Haroon told Dawn that the line was damaged by workers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Highways Authority near Jamil Chowk.

He said that engineers were replacing the pipe and the supply would be restored soon. —Bureau Report

DPC condemns Bara killings

NOWSHERA, Jan 20: Chairman Difa-i-Pakistan Council Maulana Samiul Haq has condemned the killing of tribesmen in Bara, Khyber Agency.

Talking to different delegations at his residence in Akora Khattak on Sunday, Maulana Samiul Haq said that military operation was no solution to the problem.

He demanded of the government to initiate inquiry into the case to fix responsibility for the killing of 18 tribesmen.

He said government should give proper compensation to the affected families.

He added that the country had become a battleground during the war against terrorism and now no one was secure. He demanded of the government to stop supporting US policies. —Correspondent

Four arrested with hashish

LAKKI MARWAT, Jan 20: Police on Sunday arrested four alleged smugglers and recovered 12 kilogrammes of hashish from their baggage on Indus Highway here.

They said that four suspicious persons, including two women, were waiting at the bus stop near the local toll plaza when a party of city police station rushed to the place following a tip-off and recovered narcotics from their bags.

The police identified the accused as Nooran Shah, Gul Badin, Ulfat Bibi and Gulshan Bibi, all residents of Badhber, Peshawar.

Police sources said that the accused had admitted during initial interrogation that they were carrying the contraband from tribal area to Punjab. A case has been registered against the alleged narcotics smugglers.

Meanwhile, Lakki city police claimed to have arrested four young men on the charges of their involvement in ‘immoral activities’ during a raid on a house here. The police also recovered a rifle from the house and have registered cases against the four men.—Correspondent