Bomb hoax causes panic
KOHAT, Jan 27: A bomb hoax caused panic among the residents and the local police in Hangu district on Friday.
Officials said that police received a report about the presence of a bomb under a bridge in Saro Khel area which was cordoned off by the bomb disposal squad. Upon search the police found jumble of wires connected to a dummy bomb. The police later cleared the area for traffic and pedestrians.
Officials said that the people were afraid of such things due to hundreds of attacks carried out by militants and spree of target killings in the area for the last one decade. —Correspondent
PPP leader joins JUI-F
PESHAWAR, Jan 27: Peshawar district coordinator of PPP Arbab Ifrahim on Friday resigned from his party and joined the JUI-F.
He made the announcement at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club. He was also flanked by JUI-F Peshawar amir Qari Rafiq Shah and others.
Mr Arbab said he had changed his loyalties after the PPP-led government failed to come up to the expectations of the people. The JUI’s Qari Rafiq said the decision taken by PPP leader had proved that the ruling parties had failed to serve the nation.
He expressed the hope that with the decision of Mr Arbab, the JUI-F would be further strengthened in the Peshawar district. The JUI-F leader assured Mr Arbab that his party would not disappoint him.
The JUI-F, he claimed, had answer to the problems being faced by the people, saying masses had lost trust in the present coalition set up. —Bureau Report
Land price fixed
MANSEHRA, Jan 27: The revenue department has fixed Rs100,000 per kanal for land acquired for construction of offices in the new Torghar district.Official sources said that the price was fixed at a meeting held with commissioner Hazara in the chair and attended by district coordination officer and district officer revenue Torghar.
Earlier, a jirga had decided not to give land for the government buildings in new district at what they said throw away prices. President Asif Ali Zardari had notified previously known as Kala Dhaka as the settled district, last year.
The Judbah Bassikahil was selected as the district headquarters after consensus was reached among five tribes of the area.
Sources said government had fixed Rs30,000 per kanal earlier which was turned down by the jirga, which demanded raise in the prices in accordance with the market price.—Correspondent
Lowari tunnel opened
CHITRAL, Jan 27: The secondary tunnel of Lowari on Chitral side has been opened for traffic, which had been suspended after the approach road to the major tunnel received snow the other day.
The passengers reaching here from Peshawar appreciated the role of Frontier Works Organisation for clearing the tunnels as well as the approach roads on either side to facilitate the traffic. A passenger coach driver Adina Shah said opening of the small tunnel would facilitate the smooth flow of vehicular traffic.
The secondary tunnel, which is 2.1km long, has further shortened the journey by thirty minutes as it connects the northern portion of the tunnel with the Baradam area of Ashrait bypassing the dusty track.
This is the sixth winter season when the tunnel is opened to vehicular traffic while in the past the district used to remain cut off from rest of the country during the season.—Correspondent
Tribesmen seek incentives
MIRAMSHAH, Jan 27: Elders of Ghulam Khan tehsil of North Waziristan Agency have demanded of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Barrister Masood Kausar to restore incentivesof the locals that had been suspended by the political administration under the territorial responsibility clause of the Frontier Crimes Regulation.
In a joint statement they said political administration had suspended all incentives and local people could not obtain national identity cards, domicile and passports. They said the administration stopped concerned departments from issuing national identity cards and domiciles to the students.
As a result of the ban, they said large number of students could not get admission in schools and colleges. They said those who did not have identity cards and other documents were not allowed at checkposts to travel outside Waziristan.
Meanwhile, army established free eye camp in Miramshah on Friday where around 1,400 patients were provided treatment and medicines, officials said. —Correspondent
Probe initiated
PESHAWAR, Jan 27: Following the directives of the chief justice of the Peshawar High Court the District and Sessions Judge Peshawar Ziauddin Khattak has initiated inquiry into the disappearance of the newborn daughter of the ‘rape victim’ Uzma Ayub in mysterious condition from Hayatabad Medical Complex a few days ago.
The sessions judge on Friday directed the Peshawar SSP (operations) to produce the record of all the police personnel who were assigned the security duties of the victim.
He also asked the people to produce, if they have any kind of proof, evidence in this regard, before the court till Feb 7. —Bureau Report
Eight injured on road
NOWSHERA, Jan 27: Eight persons sustained injuries in a road accident here on Friday.
Police said a car (KP-3043) on way to Ziarat Kaka Sahib collided with a motorbike as a result eight persons suffered minor injuries. The injured included Amna, Menhaja, Asifur Rehman Gul Nawaz, Bismillah, Aubaid Ullah and Mohammad Zakria.
The injured were taken to district headquarters hospital Nowshera. Amna and Asifur Rehman were referred to Leady Reading Hospital, Peshawar in precarious condition. —Correspondent
Children need books not guns
PESHAWAR, Jan 27: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Karamatullah Khan Chagharmati has said equipping Pakhtuns with contemporary education was need of the hour. He said current global scenario demanded that ‘we should restructure our education edifice on modern lines to meet the challenges of the world’.
He expressed these views while addressing a gathering in Saddu Garhi village here on Friday. He said, we should give our children books rather than guns to enable them to have a bright future.
Mr Chagharmati said it was moral obligation of ‘our elders to save children from disasters’, adding only education could guarantee prosperity for new generation.
He said that besides boys, girls were also integral part of social system and their role in establishment of healthy society could not be undermined.
The speaker also announced a government girls primary school and provision of gas for Saddu Garhi village.—APP