Workers seek reinstatement

KOHAT, July 22: The sacked technicians of Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), Kohat, have demanded their reinstatement according to the directives of the Peshawar High Court.

After having been discharged on completion of their contract, the five employees of EPI Azmat Ali Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Khalid Iran, Mohammad Basit and Sajid Khan, had moved the PHC. The court had asked the health department to reappoint them and cancel the advertisement published in newspapers about appointment of new staff on the same posts. But the health department refused to act on the directives of the court. The affected employees again filed an application after which contempt of court notice was issued to the department.—Correspondent

Bifurcation of feeder

PESHAWAR, July 22: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary has ordered action against elements involved in stoppage of work on the bifurcation of an electricity transmission line.

In a statement on Sunday, the chief secretary directed the secretary home and tribal affairs department to restart work on the bifurcation of 11kv Ghazni Khel feeder from Talazai grid station in Lakki Marwat district.

The stoppage of work has affected people of Mela Mandra Khel, Ghazni Khel, Motora and Kaka Khel areas.

The bifurcation was necessitated as the feeder was overloaded leading to severe outages and low voltage forcing consumers to agitate and block roads on weekly basis as protest against Pesco.—Bureau Report

Arms recovered

KHAR, July 22: The security forces on Sunday recovered a huge cache of weapons during a search operation in different areas of Khar tehsil.

Sources said the search operation was launched after receiving information from the locals about the presence of weapons and other explosives in the area. “Different kinds of weapons, including missiles, rockets, hand grenades, bombs and other explosive material, have been recovered during the operation, said an official of the Bajaur Scouts. He claimed the weapons were meant for carrying out terror activities, adding elements involved in bringing arms to the area would be nabbed.

The official said the recovered weapons had been used by militants in attacks at Kitkoot area a week ago  The official said a key militant wanted in several cases had been arrested, adding security had been beefed up to maintain law and order in the area during Ramazan.—Correspondent

Start of roadwork welcomed  

CHITRAL, July 22: MNA from Chitral Shahzada Mohiuddin has expressed gratitude over the start of work on the Mastuj-Baroghil road which was the longstanding demand of the people.

Addressing a press conference here the other day, he said he had requested the Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani and President Asif Zardari to start work on this strategically vital road, which will greatly benefit residents of the border area flanking the Wakhan corridors of Afghanistan.He said the army had now started mobilising machinery to Mastuj town.

He said the road would connect valley of Baroghil to other parts of Chitral, giving boost to tourism and exploitation of mineral resources, thus reducing abject poverty. Mr Mohiuddin said the road will also connect Chitral with Central Asian Republics through Tajikistan.—Correspondent

Man killed on road

KARAK, July 22: A man was killed and three others were injured in a road accident here on Sunday.

Police said four persons were critically injured when two motorcycles collided head-on after Iftari in Seerak area of Takht- i-Nusrati tehsil. They were rushed to district headquarters hospital Karak where one of them identified as Hafiz Mohammad Sultan died. Doctors said condition of the other three injured, identified as Sulman, who is brother of the victim, Basheer and Umer Daraz, was serious.—Correspondent

Sasta bazaar in Nowshera

NOWSHERA, July 22: The Anjuman-i-Tajeran will set up another Sasta bazaar in Nowshera cantonment to provide essential commodities to the people on reduced prices during Ramazan.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the traders here on Sunday. The meeting was presided over by Khwaja Farukh Lateef. The participants said vegetables, fruits and other daily use items would be sold at the Sasta bazaar at discounted rates.

Meanwhile, a motorcyclist was killed and his friend suffered injuries when a truck knocked them down near Rashakai interchange on Mardan-Nowshera road on Sunday.

The motorcyclists were going from Mardan to Risalpur when the truck hit them. As a result, Amer Ali, 18, resident of Gulbahar Colony, Risalpur, died on the spot. The injured Adnan Khan, 16, was taken to DHQ Hospital Nowshera, where doctors referred him to the Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar.—Correspondent

Rain predicted in Hazara

PESHAWAR, July 22: The Met Office on Sunday predicted rain in Hazara division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during next 24 hours.

According to the Met Office, the seasonal low lies over northwest Balochistan and adjoining areas with its trough extending southeastwards. In next 24 hours, mainly hot and humid weather is expected in most parts of the country, however, rain/thundershower is likely at isolated places of Hazara division and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan during evening/night.

Partly cloudy/chances of rain with thunderstorm is expected in Abbottabad and adjoining areas during evening/night. In last 24 hours, weather remained hot and humid in most parts of the country as no rain has been reported from any part of the country.—APP

Prisoners freed in Bajaur

PESHAWAR, July 22: Political administration of Bajaur Agency has released 31 prisoners arrested in minor cases as a gesture of goodwill in the month of Ramazan. Political Agent, Bajaur Agency, Syed Abdul Jabbar Shah, set the prisoners freed after hearing their cases during a visit to the Khar jail.

The political agent asked the released prisoners to remain careful in future and work for welfare of the humanity. The inmates vowed to remain peaceful and cooperate with the government.—APP

Support for Afghan refugees

PESHAWAR, July 22: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Agriculture Arbab Mohammad Ayub Jan has said government would continue to support the Afghan refugees living in the province. Talking to Afghan Counsel General Syed Mohammad Ibrahim Khel here, the minister said Pakistan had been extending full support to Afghan refugees for the last three decades and would continue to do so till their smooth repatriation.

The minister said Pakistan and Afghanistan enjoyed friendly relations that would further be cemented in times to come. He said peace in Afghanistan was vital for progress and prosperity of the region.—APP