Explosive device defused

PESHAWAR, May 21: An improvised explosive device (IED) planted along a road at Mathani area was defused.

A police official informed that the IED packed in a pressure-cooker was planted on the Peshawar-Kohat road. He said after getting information, police officials along with experts of bomb disposal unit went there and defused the explosive device.

The official said that apparently it was a remote controlled bomb aimed at targeting either a police patrol vehicle or a convoy of security forces.

He informed that a convoy of security forces came under attack in the same area last Thursday during which five persons were killed and several others wounded. —Bureau Report

17 faint due to gas leakage

PESHAWAR, May 21: Around 17 persons, including women and children, went unconscious apparently due to gas leakage at two different localities during wee hours on Tuesday.

The affected persons were taken to Lady Reading Hospital where they were stated to be in stable condition with several of them allowed to go home.

Hospital sources said that apparently the leakage was caused by pipes supplying natural gas to generators. The first incident took place at Zargarabad area at the residence of Bakhtawar Khan.

Ten persons, including seven children, got affected from gas leakage there and were shifted to hospital in the morning.

Later, at another residence at Rehman Baba locality in the city seven persons, including four children, fainted in similar manner.

Due to rise in the mercury and increase in electricity loadshedding the use of gas-fired generators is on the rise. —Bureau Report

Prolonged loadshedding

MINGORA, May 21: The people of Swat have demanded that the next government should resolve the problem of power loadshedding on priority basis.

The president of Swat traders’ federation Abdur Rahim told Dawn that over 90 per cent businesses in Mingora city had been badly affected by the hours long power loadshedding. He demanded of the Pesco and Wapda to carry out uniformed loadshedding across the country. He said the next government should work out a strategy to overcome the energy crisis at the earliest.

Raham Akbar Khan, a tailor, said that the prolonged loadshedding had made it impossible for him to make both ends meet. He also demanded of the government to overcome energy crisis on a war footing.

On the other hand, people complained that prices of power generators and UPS (uninterrupted power supply) had increased manifold. They said that UPS often developed faults due to frequent outages. They maintained that repair of the UPS cost them heavily. —Correspondent

Solar lamps distributed

PESHAWAR, May 21: The Rural Livelihood and Community Infrastructure Project (RLCIP) distributed 200 solar lamps to the tribesmen of South Waziristan Agency here on Tuesday.

Assistant political officer Hameedullah Khattak distributed the lamps, according to a press release.

About 600 solar lamps have been distributed to the tribesmen of Bajaur, Mohmand and South Waziristan, helping them to cope with the loadshedding.

Moreover, 60 people with 20 from each agency have already been trained to assemble, repair and maintain these lamps.

These lamps comprise a three watts solar panel and a lamp providing light for 36 hours when fully charged. It has a six volts pure dry lead acid battery, three extra chargers and 36 LEDs (light emitting diodes). Cellular phones can also be charged with the help of the solar panel and the battery of these lamps. —Bureau Report

Student’s killing sparks protest

NOWSHERA, May 21: People blocked the Nowshera-Mardan road at Risalpur cantonment on Tuesday to protest against the killing of a 9th grade student allegedly by the army personnel.

The protesters, including students, carried placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the killers of the student, Hamid Khan, 14.

The protesters demanded of the chief justice of Pakistan to take notice of the brutal killing of the student. They also staged a sit-in outside the gate three of the Risalpur cantonment.

Hamid Khan was arrested by the security personnel a day ago on suspicion of involvement in a robbery at the house of a teacher of Nisar Shaheed College, Prof Mohammad Aftab, and allegedly killed him during interrogation.

Official sources said that Hamid Khan was arrested as the main suspect in the robbery case. —Correspondent