Hashish seized from outbound parcel

KARACHI, Jan 31: The drug enforcement cell of Pakistan Customs on Monday seized five kilograms of hashish found in an outbound courier parcel at the export point of the Karachi airport.

A statement issued by the authorities said that DEC staff on a tip-off intercepted the package comprising a wooden crate which was booked by a man, Abid Mahmood, in Attock. It was bound for Hong Kong. The name of recipient given out was Muhammad Murad.

Oddity of packing mode and contents, an 80-piece porcelain dinner set, created doubts and the DEC staff thoroughly checked the parcel, the statement said, adding that the examination led to the discovery of fine quality hashish concealed in specially carved out cavities in the four sidewalls of the wooden crate.

It said that a prosecution case under the Control of Narcotics Substances Act, 1997 had been registered and efforts were being made to arrest the culprits. — Staff Reporter

Outbreak of skin diseases

A team of specialists and doctors from the Sindh Government Hospital, New Karachi, held a two-day free medical camp at Madressah & Darul Uloom, Federal B Area, following the outbreak of skin diseases among students of the seminary.

On a request from the seminary management, provincial Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed and EDO (health) Dr Nasir Javed ordered holding of the camp and provision of treatment. The medical team examined and treated some 400 students suffering from various skin diseases.

Seminary head Mufti Muneebur Rehman thanked the authorities and the medical team for their prompt cooperation.—PPI

Mangrove cutting

Marine ecology experts, oceanographers, environmentalists, forest conservationists, activists of human rights and civil society and political organisations will discuss the issue of mangroves cutting and reclamation of beach land in Keamari and Bin Qasim Towns at a consultative meeting to be held at a local hotel on Tuesday.

Sindh Environment Minister Sheikh Mohammad Afzal, secretaries of the environment and forest departments, marine ecology expert Dr Tahir Qureshi, Nasir Panhwar of the WWF-Pakistan and representatives of Shehri, Piler, Hands and other NGOs would take part, said a statement issued by the organisers, Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum.—PPI

Illegal structures

A demolition team of the Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) razed illegally built sixth floor of a building in Saddar Town on Monday.

On an order of KBCA chief controller Manzoor Qadir the team pulled down illegal constructions carried out on the sixth floor of a building standing on plot No.OT-5, 46 Old Town, Saddar.

The demolition squad also razed illegal structures in the car parking space of plot No.GK-7, 74, Ghulam Hussain Quarters, Saddar Town. The operations were supervised by the deputy controllers, assistant controllers and demolition officers concerned escorted by a heavy contingent of police.—PPI