Man kills uncle

TAXILA, Feb 13: A man killed his uncle over a petty dispute in a village here on Monday.

Police said Mohammad Zareef shot dead his uncle Mohammed Shafi, 72, with a 30-bore pistol after exchanging some hot words with him and escaped. — Correspondent

Senator receives threats

ISLAMABAD, Feb 13: The capital police have booked a man on the charges of hurling life threats at a senator and demanding money for the safety of his family, police said on Monday.

They said that Senator Hafiz Rasheed Ahmed from Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (Fata) in this regard lodged a complaint with the Secretariat Police.

In response the police registered a case and started investigations which revealed that the caller was also from tribal Area.

However, the police said that it would be very difficult to trace and arrest the accused as he was in tribal area where the law of the land did not exist. — Staff Reporter

Unregistered rickshaws

ATTOCK, Feb 13: Road Transport Authority launched a special drive against unregistered motorcycle-rickshaws here on Monday.

The move was started after numerous public complaints were received that only 200 such rickshaws had so far been registered with the RTA out of the total 5000, causing a huge loss to the government revenue.

The Secretary RTA Mohammad Saleem said despite issuing frequent warnings, the bike rickshaw owners did not comply.

“The RTA has, therefore, decided to adopt zero tolerance policy and is launching a special drive to ensure collection of government revenue”, he said.

Although the motorbike-rickshaw owners are resisting the drive with the support of local notables, yet the authority has decided to continue it at any cost to discourage the illegal practice.

Such rickshaws are being driven by teenagers who do not even have licenses in violation of rules. The transport authority also claimed to have collected revenue of about Rs15 million during the last financial year.

Mohammad Saleem apprised the media persons that Rs55,23,800 were collected from fitness certificate fee during July 2010 to June 2011.

Similarly Rs67,16,750 were received from route permit fee besides Rs27,39,400 collected in fines from 6897 vehicles that were challaned for violation of traffic rules, he added. — Correspondent

Cleft lip surgery offered free

ISLAMABAD, Feb 13: Top international plastic surgeons and specialists will perform free cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries next week, the Pakistan Cleft Lip and Palate Association (PCLPA) announced here on Monday inviting patients to register themselves to avail the opportunity.

PCLPA arranges the surgeries every year with the help of foreign and national volunteers and has restored 2,405 cleft lip or palate patients to health since 1996.

Patients selected after preliminary examination for the surgery will get treatment, medicines, hospital stay and food free at the private Bashir Hospital in Gujrat during the six-day 29th surgery camp starting there on Feb 19.

Patients in and around Islamabad desiring the surgery may contact Dr Akhtar Rehman, on phone number 051-2251275 or Dr Ijaz Bashir on 053-3521102 or 3524139 and e-mail: drijazbashir@gmail.com. — A Reporter