Policeman shot dead

MARDAN, May 19: A head constable was killed by unidentified armed men at the Katlang hospital here on Saturday, police said.

The victim, Alhaj, who was the in-charge of police post at the Katlang hospital, was fired upon by assailants while on duty. He died on the spot. Police said the killers fled the scene after committing the murder.

They said a contingent of police reached the spot after occurrence of the incident and cordoned off the area. The Katlang police station registered FIR against unidentified killers and started investigation into the incident.—Correspondent

Two arrested with hashish

KOHAT, May 19: The cantonment police on Saturday seized huge quantity of hashish which was being smuggled from tribal area to down country and arrested two carriers.

The cantonment police stopped a Suzuki pick-up number KTB-3288 on Orakzai Agency road. Upon search 36 kilograms of fine quality hashish were recovered from its secret cavities.

The price of the consignment in Orakzai Agency is more than Rs1 million which could reach up to Rs50 million in Lahore and Karachi. Its price increases manifold if it is smuggled to UAE.

The two smugglers identified as Raees Khan of Feroze Khel area of Orakzai Agency and Afzal Khan of Tirah valley of Khyber agency were arrested. The Cantt police registered a case against the accused, after which a court sent them to prison. —Correspondent  

Torture a heinous crime

PESHAWAR, May 19: Participants of a training workshop on Saturday pointed out that the victims of physical and mental torture not only suffered physical pain but also bore psychological scars for the rest of their lives. More than 20 journalists participated in the workshop on torture-related reporting, which was organised by the Individualland Pakistan in association with the Foundation of Open Society Institute.

The participants believed that torture was considered as one of the most heinous crimes in the civilised world. The training, aimed to objectively report on the issue of mental and physical torture, is part of the one year sensitisation programme for the media persons on the issue of torture.

The Individualland trainer, Shaukat Ali Ashraf, speaking on the occasion, said the main aim of training print, radio and electronic media personnel on various social issues like torture was to inculcate a positive change in them for a changed society.—Bureau Report

Police inaction condemned

SWABI, May 19: The paramedical staff has threatened to stag a protest demonstration against the police failure to arrest the robbers who were involved in burglaries at houses of their colleagues.

Speaking at a meeting chaired by Abdul Hakim, district president of paramedical association, on Saturday, the participants said houses of two of their colleagues located inside the district hospital were looted. They said, a paramedic was also deprived of his motorcycle, mobile and cash at gunpoint while he was on way to home after performing duty in the hospital at night.

They said they had registered FIRs but the police failed to recover the looted cash, snatched motorcycle and other valuables.

Mr Hakim demanded of the police to arrest the culprits at the earliest otherwise they would take to streets.—Correspondent

Funds embezzlement

PESHAWAR, May 19: The Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf has criticised the government for its pro-America policies and demanded of the Supreme Court to order probe into the funds provided by the United States to Pakistan for ‘welfare’ of the nation so far.

Shaukat Yousufzai, provincial political advisor of PTI chairman Imran Khan, said a major chunk of the foreign funds had been embezzled by the successive governments.

According to a statement issued in Peshawar on Saturday, the PTI leader expressed these views while speaking at a public meeting at Koza Bandai Swat on the second death anniversary of a PTI leader Sher Khan on Saturday.

Mr Yousufzai said his party had taken a firm stand that supplies for the Nato forces in Afghanistan would not be allowed as the government had failed to stop the drone attacks in Fata which was a longstanding demand of the people. He said the US did not beg pardon for the Salala attack.—Bureau Report

Persian language classes

PESHAWAR, May 19: The Peshawar Press Club is starting second term of offering classes in Persian language to journalists from Monday. The students will be provided books free of cost.

Examination for the first term, which was initiated from March 5, was held on May 10. Director General of Iranian Consulate in Peshawar Syed Mohammad Zakiri will distribute certificates among those who had passed the examination.

Classes in Persian language were started for media persons on the request of Khyber Union of Journalists. A senior journalist and Persian language expert Altaf Hussain Mir is teaching the language.—Bureau Report

Support for TB patients

PESHAWAR, May 19: The centre for treatment of drug resistant TB patients at the Pulmonology Department of the Lady Reading Hospital on Saturday launched a programme under which TB patients will be offered, drugs, treatment and other social support.

The programme has been launched with the support of National and Provincial TB Control Programme. Food baskets were distributed among the TB patients registered at the LRH on the occasion. Prof Dr Arshad Javaid, in-charge of the pulmonology department and Chief Executive of the LRH, appreciated the support provided by the concerned authorities. He said in near future the facility would be extended to other centers in the province.

A statement issued here on Saturday said the pulmonology department was catering for a very large number of drugs resistant TB patients on its own for the last one decade. The department has developed unmatched skills and expertise in this field.—Bureau Report

Goods clearance suspended

LANDI KOTAL, May 19: Customs officials temporarily suspended export of Pakistani goods at Torkhum border on Saturday after an exchange of hot words with a group of clearing agents.

Nasir Khan, a tribal exporter, told Dawn that customs officials and a group of local clearing agents hurled abuses at each other when a clearing agent stopped customs sleuths from rechecking a truck loaded with cement.

Immediately afterwards, customs officials stopped clearing of all type of goods to Afghanistan and shut down their offices.

Some of the infuriated clearing agents resorted to pelting of stones at the customs offices which broke some windowpanes.

Nobody was, however, hurt. The clearance remained suspended for almost six hours and was resumed only when the local political administration intervened and resolved the issue between the two sides.—Correspondent