MANSEHRA: The Hazara University announced the closure of its main campus for one day to mourn the killing of a student at a snooker club in Dodial area of Mansehra district on Wednesday evening.

The deceased, Mohammad Salman, belonged to Swat and lived in a private hostel outside the university.

According to witnesses, Mr Sulman and former university student Chand had heated exchanges over a game before the latter opened fire on the former leaving him seriously injured.

As the gunman fled, the injured was taken to the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital where the doctors referred him to the Ayub Medical Complex in Abbottabad.

He however succumbed to injuries before reaching there.

Friends of the deceased later blocked the Karakoram Highway for over an hour to demand the arrest of the suspected killer.

District police officer Ahsan Saifullah rushed to the place and convinced protesters to disperse by promising the early arrest of suspected killer.

Sajjad Ahmad, the spokesman for the Hazara University, said the university was closed at 4pm and that the incident occurred outside its premises.

He said the campus would remain closed on Thursday to mourn the student’s killing.

RESOLUTION OF ISSUES: Parliamentary secretary for industries and PML-N MNA from Kohistan Sarzamin Khan has said the Wapda chairman has promised the resolution of issues related to Dasu, Diamer-Basha and other hydropower projects.

“I met the Wapda chairman of late and discussed the issues on land price and employment of local residents in the power projects planned for Kohistan. All issues causing delay in the execution of these projects will be addressed,” Mr. Sarzamin told reporters here on Wednesday.

The parliamentary secretary said the federal government wanted trouble-free execution of Dasu, Diamer-Basha and other hydropower projects and would resolve all related issues.

He said mega hydropower projects, including Dasu dam, Diamer-Basha dam and Kial dam, had been planned for Kohistan but proper payments weren’t being offered to the landowners affected by them.

Mr. Sarzamin said the Wapda chairman had promised early resolution of issues and whatever was beyond his powers, both of them would take them up with the prime minister for necessary action.

MONEY TRANSFERRED: The Mansehra district account office on Wednesday transferred the first tranche of budgetary allocations for the current fiscal to the bank accounts of 194 village and neighbourhood councils.

Safaida village council nazim Basharat Ali told reporters here that Rs150 million was being transferred to the bank accounts of village and neighbourhood councils after release by the account office.

Members of local bodies had threatened agitation against delay in the release of funds money insisting unavailability of money is hampering the execution of development schemes.

Published in Dawn November 3rd, 2016