Two killed in Bara ambush
LANDI KOTAL, Jan 31: Two persons were killed when unidentified armed men ambushed a car in Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency on Tuesday.
Sources said that unidentified armed men fired at a car in Faqirabad and killed two persons, travelling in the vehicle. Identity of the deceased could not be established as their bodies were removed by their relatives immediately after the incident.
In Landi Kotal, unidentified persons kidnapped a baker in Khugakhel area.
Family sources said that 70-year-old Waris Khan was coming from a nearby mosque after offering evening prayers when unidentified men kidnapped him.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for his abduction and family sources said that they had no dispute with anyone.—Correspondent
House of militants destroyed
SWAT, Jan 31: The security forces on Tuesday blew up house of two wanted militants who had refused to surrender to the law enforcement agencies despite repeated warnings.
The security sources said house of two militant bothers, Haider and Usman, was dynamited in Bara Bandai area of Kabal tehsil.
The sources informed that father of the wanted militants Humayun was also killed during operation Rah-i-Raast in Swat.
In another incident, a man allegedly killed his wife in Totano Bandai and later committed suicide.
Reports said accused Mohammad Iqbal first fired at his wife with a pistol and later shot himself.
Mohammad Iqbal died on the spot while his wife succumbed to injuries on her way to hospital. The bodies were handed over to the relatives after autopsy. The reason behind the killing could not be ascertained.
The Kabal police registered case and started investigations.—APP
Registration of transvestites
PESHAWAR, Jan 31: In the light of the directives of the Supreme Court, Nadra has started registering transvestites in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A high-level meeting in this regard was held at Provincial Election Commission office on Tuesday, presided over by Provincial Election Commissioner Syed Sher Afghan, according to a press release.
Syed Sher Afghan said that under the directives of Supreme Court, Election Commission of Pakistan was starting registration of transvestites having national identity cards. He added the transvestites had been asked to appear before their respective district election commission offices on February 9.
He said that Nadra mobile registration van, district election commissioner and social welfare officer would also be present in the office on the said day.
He said social welfare department would disseminate all necessary information to transvestites in this regard through advertisements in news papers, adding addresses of district election commission offices would also be mentioned.—APP
Livelihood restoration
UPPER DIR, Jan 31: A workshop was organised by Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda), through its early recovery project in flood affected communities of Pakistan, at Akhagram here on Tuesday. The chief guest was tehsil director livestock Dr Nazir.
The participants were told that the project would cover enterprise rehabilitation and livelihood restoration. Dr Nazir and Dr Hazrat Ali were invited as livestock experts and had a session of question and answer with the community members.
The participants discussed agricultural related problems such as livestock diseases, milk production, sale purchase and medicines.—Correspondent
Tourism development
PESHAWAR, Jan 31: Maria S Anglarill, Public Affairs Officer, US Consulate General Peshawar, made a courtesy call on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Sports, Tourism, Youth Affairs and Archaeology Syed Aqil Shah on Tuesday and discussed with him mutual cooperation in the development of various sectors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Mitchell R Moss, Counselor for Public Affairs, US Embassy Islamabad, secretary sports, tourism and youth affairs, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Jamaluddin Shah and director general sports, tourism Eng Khan Zeb were also present, according to a press release.
The minister said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had great potential in developing tourism, sports and archeological sites. He said the government was developing health tourism resort at Garam Chashma, ski resort at Malam Jabba, cable car at Saiful Maluk, youth hostels at Naran and Chitral and water sports at Khan Pur.
Ms Maria Anglarill appreciated the government’s efforts in promoting tourism and sports in the province and extended her government’s cooperation in the sustainable development of tourism, sports, youth affairs and archeological sites.—Bureau Report
Skill oriented training
PESHAWAR, Jan 31: The Provincial Taskforce for Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas (Raha) met here on Tuesday.
The meeting was chaired by secretary planning and development Saleem Khan.
Mr Saleem Khan stressed the need for initiating more market oriented skill training initiatives under the Raha programme.
The national project director Raha Roohullah Khan, assistant country director UNDP Rabia Khattak, administrative secretaries, representatives of all relevant line departments and UN agencies and European Union delegation attended the meeting. Provincial manager Raha programme Liaqat Ali Khan shared the progress of the programme for 2011-12, according to a press release.
Saleem Khan directed that the new and emerging skills should be explored for community training to pave the way for creating sustainable livelihood opportunities. He said skill training should be given through qualified and professional organisations.
He added the community physical infrastructures schemes should be given priorities, besides the major physical infrastructures schemes. He also called for strict monitoring system to ensure quality of infrastructures schemes.—Bureau Report