Judge visits prison

PESHAWAR, May 25: The Peshawar district and sessions judge, Shehbar Khan, conducted a visit of the Peshawar Central Prison and disposed of cases of around 53 under-trial prisoners involved in petty nature offences.

A court official informed that the district judge was also accompanied by a judicial magistrate, Zafarullah Khan.

They conducted trials of these 53 prisoners and issued immediate orders in their cases. The prisoners in minor offences were mostly convicted to prison term which they had already spent there.

The district judge went around different portions of the prison and also heard the problems faced by the prisoners. He also visited the prison hospital and inspected the facilities available there. —Bureau Report

Prize distribution ceremony

PESHAWAR, May 25: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has urged the need for inculcating sportsman’s spirit and national unity among the youth to overcome the challenges.

He was speaking at a prize distribution ceremony held here on Friday after conclusion of the First Ameer Haider Khan All Pakistan Hockey Tournament that ended in Mardan, on Thursday.

Sixteen teams took part in the tournament. The final match of the tournament was played between the teams of Mardan Red and DHA Attock which was won by the former by 4-2.

The chief minister was of the view that organising sports competition at provincial and national levels was not only essential for providing healthy recreational facilities to the players from different parts of the country but it also helped in prompting national unity. —Bureau Report

New rule for foreign visitors

PESHAWAR, May 25: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has directed all the relevant people, especially the officials of various non-governmental organizations and disaster management authorities to give prior notice of 10 to 15 days regarding visits of any foreigners to the sites of uplift schemes.

A statement issued by the home and tribal affairs department here on Friday said that most of the NGOs were in practice of sending the visit plan of their expatriates/local staff to different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the eleventh hour.

It stated that such practice created embarrassment for the department as well as the visitors to issue NOC for scheduled visits of foreigners in time. —Bureau Report

Journalists stage protest

PESHAWAR, May 25: The journalist community held a protest demonstration outside Peshawar Press Club on Friday against the sacking of their colleagues by different media organisations and demanded their reinstatement.

The protesting journalists were holding banners and placards inscribed with different slogans in favour of their demands.

They were also shouting slogans for the early restoration of suspended working journalists.

The Khyber Union of Journalists president, Arshad Aziz Mailk, on the occasion strongly condemned the sacking of workers by some private channels and warned that if they were not reinstated, they would ban live coverage of concerned television channels inside the press club.

He appealed to Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to take notice of the issue. —Bureau Report

Govt urged to adopt clear stance

PESHAWAR, May 25: Chairman All Pakistan Qayyum League (APQL) has suggested that all the political parties, parliamentarians and army should prepare a joint strategy on restoration of Nato supplies in the larger national interest.

The party’s central chairman, Muazzam Butt, while speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Friday, said that Pakistan was passing through a critical phase of its history and the political parties instead of launching protest rallies should join hands with each other to pull the country out of crises.

He also asked the ruling parties to hold consultations with the opposition in this regard so that the problems being faced by the nation could be overcome.

Mr Butt said that the government should adopt a clear stance and adopt an open foreign policy keeping in view of the current situation in the country. —Bureau report

Arms seized, two held

PESHAWAR, May 25: Customs intelligence and investigation squad here on Friday foiled a bid of smuggling arms and ammunition and arrested two smugglers at DI Khan-Darban Road.

According to details, during routine checking of vehicles, customs squad intercepted a suspected truck bearing registration No P-7759 on DI Khan Road. Upon search, customs officials recovered a huge quatity of arms including 42 Kalashnikovs, three Kalakovs, 15 pistols and 2,400 cartridges hidden in its secret cavities.

Customs officials arrested two smugglers, Saifur Rehman and Mohammad Yousaf and impounded the truck. —APP

Rusty gas pipes

PESHAWAR, May 25: Due to the efforts of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) and Cantonment Board officials here on Friday agreed in principle to replace the old pipes and also resolve of the problem of low gas pressure in the area.

In this connection, chief engineer, SNGPL and chief engineer, Cantonment Board will soon prepare a strategy for excecution of the project.

A meeting in this regard was held here at Sarhad Chamber with SCCI president in the chair. He highlighted the problem of low gas pressure, increase in tariff, line losses of SNGPL, adjustment of additional security in gas bills of industrial and commercial consumers, harassment of consumers and rusty pipes and demanded initiating immediate measures for the resolution of these problems.

General Manager SNGPL assured that the company was taking measures for the redressal of the complaints. —APP