LAKKI MARWAT: The district elementary and secondary education department has deducted salaries of 73 teachers and class-IV employees of primary schools for absenting from duty.

The sub-divisional education officer (SDEO) Ikramullah Khan said on Sunday that the department had tightened noose around the teaching and non-teaching staff involved in habitual absenteeism. He said that the teachers and class-IV employees facing salary deduction were found missing from schools during surprise inspection visits.

“Besides serving them explanation notices the authorities also provided them opportunity of personal hearing, but they failed to justify their absence from duty and clarify their position,” he said.

Mr Ikramullah said that Rs306,389 was deposited in the government kitty after deduction from salaries of the absent employees. He warned that habitual absent teachers and class-IV employees would lose jobs if they didn’t mend their ways.

LITERARY COMPETITIONS: Literary competitions were held among the students at government high school No 3 in Lakki city on Sunday, under the district high and higher secondary schools tournament festival.

Asmatullah-led team of GHSS Tajazai won the national anthem contest, while Mohammad Noman-led students of GCMHS Lakki stood first in the patriotic song competition.

In declamation contest (Urdu category), Muradullah of GHS Nar Muzaffar secured first position; in English debate category, Mohammad Abrar of GCMHS Lakki stood first and Noor Mohammad of GHS Bachkan Ahmadzai got first position in Na’at competition, respectively.

In Husne Qirat contest, Akhtar Hussain of GHS Mandan Manjiwala grabbed first position.

On the occasion, MPA Munawar Khan’s brother, Engineer Haji Ameer Nawaz Khan appreciated the performance of students and announced Rs20,000 for the tournament committee.

He also promised to construct an additional classroom in the high school.

District education officer Nazir Khan and other education officials were also in attendance.

FUNDS UNDER-UTILISED: The provincial government couldn’t utilise a huge chunk of funds under the Provincial Annual Developmental Programme, this year, like the previous year when it failed to spend 70 per cent of the ADP, claimed ANP’s district president advocate Sadruddin.

Speaking at a public meeting in Bachkan Ahmadzai locality on Sunday, the ANP leader also criticised the PTI-led government for ‘ignoring’ miseries of the internally displaced tribesmen.

He asked PTI chairman Imran Khan to first make the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a role model and resolve the problems of Pakhtuns and then make a new Pakistan.

He said that the PTI chairman could not befool people by promising to make a new Pakistan as his party had failed to deliver in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.  

“Instead of paying heed to people’s problems and focusing on the uplift of militancy hit province the chief minister and his cabinet members are engaged in the so-called dharnas in Islamabad,” he said.

Mr Sadruddin said that mandate of Awami National Party was stolen in the last general elections but despite that the party accepted the results for the sake of democracy.

He said that the ANP launched and completed several small and mega developmental projects at a cost of over Rs3 billion in the district besides allocating funds for Kurrum Tangi dam and cadet college projects.

He welcomed the decision of Habibullah, Junaid Khan and other area elders to join ANP.

Published in Dawn, November 24th , 2014