LAKKI MARWAT: The district population welfare department organised an essay and poster making competition for the students of private and government-run schools here on Thursday.

Students took part in the competition by writing essays and making posters on the topic ‘Increase in population and its adverse effects on education’. Mohammad Farooq of Tajori Model School stood first in essay competition while Mohammad Osman of Marwat Public School and Faran Alam of Knowledge Public School secured second and third positions respectively.

In poster making competition, Saad Khan of Government High School Nar Muzaffar got first position followed by Danish Bashir of Knowledge Public School and Mohammad Riaz of Tajori Model School.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf district president Saleem Nawaz distributed cash prizes among the position holder students.

Speaking on the occasion, district population officer Nazar Jan appreciated the students for showing keen interest in competitions. He said that they would continue to organise such healthy activities for students in the future.

He said that increase in population was the major cause of several problems including poverty, unemployment and lack of basic facilities.

“We cannot make progress without controlling population,” Mr Jan said and called upon the students to play effective role in highlighting the issue of increase in population.

POWER OUTAGES: The residents of rural localities in the district on Thursday threatened to launch agitation against unscheduled and unannounced power outages.

The announcement was made during a meeting of the elders of Zangikhel, Mela Mandrakhel, Matora and Abakhel villages. The hours-long power suspension had become unbearable for the residents of rural localities, Hafiz Minhajud Din, an elder, told the meeting. He alleged that local Pesco employees formulated their own schedule to keep electricity suspended.

Haji Zarwali Khan Abakhel, another elder, said that power supply remained suspended 20 hours round the clock which made the lives of rural population miserable. He asked the government to take notice of unannounced power breakdowns and initiate action against the officials involved in it.

Maulana Mir Aslam and Amanullah said that the residents of their villages received inflated power bills each month without utilising electricity.

ARRESTED: Police on Thursday claimed to have arrested 16 proclaimed offenders during raids in different parts of the district.

An official said that the action was initiated on information about the presence of outlaws in rural localities. He said that DPO Ismail Kharak had ordered the station house officers of all police stations to speed up action against wanted criminals in their respective areas.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2015

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