Schools without teachers

NOWSHERA, Dec 17: Villagers of Behram Kallay will move court to reclaim their lands given to the education department free of cost for constructing schools if the government failed to provide staff and necessary facilities to the schools.

“We will go to the court to get back the precious land given to education department as the government during the past seven years failed to provide teaching staff and necessary facilities to start classes,” said Haji Akhtar Ali Khan and Iqbal Khan, while talking to journalists on Saturday.

They said they had provided two kanal of agriculture land to each of the three schools.

EDO education Hasanat Gul said the department could not provide staff and other materials to these schools till the buildings were not commissioned.—Correspondent

KMC convocation

PESHAWAR, Dec 17: The Khyber Medical College conferred Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees on some 180 graduates at its convocation held here on Saturday.

Governor Masood Kausar, who was the chief guest, distributed degrees among the successful candidates. He decorated 13graduates with gold medals for winning distinction in their annual examinations, according to a handout.

Dr Asad-ur-Rehman won the best graduate award with four medals. Eleven ex-faculty members of the college were also given lifetime achievement awards.

Mr Kausar appreciated the role played by KMC in promoting medical education and facilitating the strengthening of medical facilities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata.

He said the longstanding issue of medical colleges’ affiliation with Khyber Medical University had been resolved.—Bureau Report

Dowry items distributed

MANSEHRA, Dec 17: The Al-Khidmat Foundation on Saturday distributed dowry items among families of 40 poor girls.

“Forty highly deserving girls have been selected for the dowry items whose marriages would be held within next two weeks,” said Aftab Shabir, district nazima of Jammat-i-Islami women wing.

Ms Shabir and district amir of JI Dr Tariq Sherazi gave away the dowry items to the families of the girls.

Aftab Shabir said women wing of the JI was striving for the marriages of girls who could not afford dowry and other expenses.

She said Al-Khidmat Foundation had conducted marriages of hundreds of poor girls, most of them orphans, since the October 2005 earthquake.

She said in future the deserving girls would be given dowry, adding applications in this regard were being collected.—Correspondent

Polio eradication

LAKKI MARWAT, Dec 17: The National Research and Development Foundation (NRDF) with the support of Unicef organised a seminar on schoolteachers’ role in polio eradication at Tajazai here on Saturday.

WHO and health department officials, ESED authorities, NRDF core committee members, heads of government run schools and teachers attended the seminar.

The speakers highlighted the role of teachers in immunisation drives and said teachers could play a pivotal role in wiping out the deadly disease from the district.—Correspondent

Policemen complete training

PESHAWAR, Dec 17: Thirty-one police personnel belonging to different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa completed two-month firefighting, first aid and rescue services training on Saturday. They were also given certificates.

Civil defence department and Rescue Service 1122 had arranged the training held at the civil defence directorate.

A spokesman for the Rescue 1122 said the purpose of the training was to implement some actions to strengthen various branches of the police department against emergencies by using the new techniques they learnt.

He said the trained personnel would be in a better position to perform their duties in respective areas in case of emergencies.

Civil defence director Shamsul Haq said the training would be a vital component to ensure the capacity building and developing safer community at district level.

Shamsher Ali, deputy director civil defence, urged the people to get proper training and play their role for safety of those in distress.—Bureau Report

Welfare projects

PESHAWAR, Dec 17: Sports Minister Syed Aqil Shah has said he was making all out efforts to resolve the problems being faced by the people of his constituency of PK-4.

Addressing a public gathering at Naway Kilay, where dozens of people announced to join the ANP on Saturday, Mr Shah said he had initiated numerous welfare projects in the constituency, which would improve the living condition of the locals.

He asked the people to closely monitor the development works and report about any negligence to him. He said he had askedthe Wapda officials to replace the 100kv electricity transformer with a 200kv.

The minister said some areas of PK-4, including Bara Gate and Naway Kilay, were attached with Bara feeder due to which prolong power outages were being experienced by the people. He said he had asked Pesco to attach the area with Gulbarg feeder.—APP