Benazir Road beautification

RAWALPINDI, July 3: The City District Government aRawalpindi (CDGR) will start beautification of Benazir Bhutto Road next week.

District Coordination Officer (DCO) called a meeting of Rawal Town Municipal Administration (RTMA), Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and Parks and Horticulture Agency (PHA) to remove eyesore on the city’s main artery.

MNA Hanif Abbasi and MPAs were also invited to give suggestions for beautification of the main artery of the city.

Talking to Dawn, DCO Saqib Zafar said the CDGR would divide Benazir Bhutto Road in three parts from Marrir Chowk to Naz Cinema, Naz Cinema to 6th Road and 6th Road to Faizabad between the three civic bodies.

He said these civic bodies would be given the task to make their respective parts neat and beautiful within one and a half month. “The winner will be given prize and appreciation letter on August 14,” he said.

He said three assistant commissioners of Rawalpindi district would monitor the work on daily basis. He said these parts would not allocate to these agencies for permanent basis but for the beautification.—A Reporter

Phasing incandescent bulbs out

ISLAMABAD, July 3: Pakistan has joined 50 other developing countries to phase incandescent bulbs out by 2016 with its energy conservation body claiming the move will help the county save electricity besides decreasing its carbon dioxide and mercury emission.

“Pakistan is now part of Global Efficient Lighting Partnership under United Nations Environment Protection (UNEP) En-Lighten project,” said Manager Technical, National Energy Conservation Centre (Enercon) Asad Mehmood elaborating on the technical support the country would receive from the En-lighten Secretariat for developing a national strategy.

The official further said Enercon had sent a signed participatory form to the Project Manager UNEP for consent. Enercon claimed that Pakistan would benefit on many fronts by this transition.

Besides saving electricity, the move is said to decrease carbon dioxide emission by two million tonnes annually – which was roughly equivalent to taking half-a-million (0.5) cars off the road – while it would also help avoid mercury emission by 3.7kg per annum.—Staff Reporter

‘36 murder cases solved’

ISLAMABAD, July 3: The capital police claimed to have solved 36 murders cases including 12 blind murders in the current year, collected reasonable evidence against the culprits and submitted the challans into concerned courts.

IGP Bani Amin Khan had earlier directed all the supervisory officers to give priority to the investigation of murder cases. “In response, the capital police worked diligently and solved 36 murders cases after collecting forensic as well as other vital evidence,” police claimed on Tuesday.

All available resources and latest investigation techniques were said to be used to trace the murderers. As many as 81 persons were arrested for their alleged involvement in the cases and challans of the cases were also submitted in the courts.

IGP Khan appreciated the performance and announced to award cash prizes and commendation certificates to those police officials who successfully investigated into the cases.—Staff Reporter

Women gangs loot tourists

MURREE, July 3: With arrival of peak summer season a large number of women gangs have reached Murree who steal valuables from shops and loot women tourists as well.

Though a good number of policemen are deployed at the hill station they hesitate to take action.

Shopkeepers have appealed to highups in the police department to deploy women police to check such crimes.

Shaukat Abbasi, a shopkeeper at Lower Mall, said about five girls entered his shop and remained there for some times doing window shopping. After they left, two purses and some artificial jewellery sets were missing.

Eid Mohammad, another shopkeeper on the Mall, related the same story.

A tourist family complained that some women came to Kanaan Park and kept them busy in chatting while other members of their gang took away their bags.

ASP Murree Abbas Mujeed Marwat admitted that women police were needed in Murree especially during summer season when tourists throng the hill resort. He said according to service rules no woman could be employed in police department from outside Murree.

Locals have appealed to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to recruit local women in police department.—Correspondent