Three brothers electrocuted

PESHAWAR Oct 31: Three brothers were electrocuted while the fourth one was seriously hurt in Malikabad area of Jamrud tehsil in Khyber Agency on Wednesday, official sources said.

An official said that an electric pylon was dislodged and it fell on a nearby house after it was hit by a speeding truck. As a result, three brothers died on the spot when high tension power lines fell on them. Their fourth brother was seriously injured who was shifted to a local hospital, the official said.

The three brothers, Haleem Khan, Alif Khan and Asif Khan, were asleep when the incident took place. All the brothers were studying in Government Degree College Jamrud. — APP

Three killed in Swabi

SWABI, Oct 31: Three people, including a woman, were killed in separate incidents here on Wednesday.

Police said that Asad Iqbal who belonged to Khanewal (Punjab) was shot dead allegedly by Tariq Ali and Bahu in Tehsil Chota Lahor. The attackers escaped after the incident. The cause of the incident was stated to be a rivalry.

In another incident, Baz Mohammad was shot dead allegedly by Manzoor and Ayaz over a minor issue. The brother of the deceased registered an FIR in Kalu Khan police station and said that his brother had exchanged harsh words with the two accused a few days back.

Meanwhile, a woman attempted to commit suicide in Dawlat village. She was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition where she died. — Correspondent

Houses torched in Orakzai

KALAYA, Oct 31: The tribal qaumi lashkar torched three houses of an alleged killer and fined him Rs400,000 in Ibrahimzai of Lower Orakzai tehsil on Wednesday.

Political administration officials said that accused Arshad Ali had gunned down Sabir Ali on Eid day at Ibrahimzai area of Lower Orakzai. The political administration arrested the accused soon after the incident.

Assistant political agent Fazal Qadir said the qaumi lashkar had taken action against the accused on charges of violating tribal norms while the political administration had arrested the accused under FCR and sent him to jail. —Correspondent

Doctor suspended

MARDAN, Oct 31: A doctor of the District Headquarters Hospital was suspended here on Wednesday over sexual harassment of a female patient.

Earlier in the day, a protest was held outside the press club by the woman’s relatives and local people against Dr Tariq Anwar, head of the radiology department.

The protesters and elders of the area led by former tehsil nazim Ihsan Bacha, Ghulam Sarwar Saraf and Aurangzeb Kashmiri, blocked Shamsi Road by burning tyres and demanded action against the doctor.

The angry relatives also thrashed the doctor and dragged him out of the radiology department when the patient complained of harassment by the doctor.Dr Ayub Roz, executive district officer (health), while taking notice of the incident constituted a three-member committee to probe the incident.

The committee investigated the matter and submitted a report. Taking action on the report, Dr Ayub suspended Dr Tariq Anwar. — Correspondent

Minister visits damaged shrine

NOWSHERA, Oct 31: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information Mian Iftikhar Hussain has directed the Nowshera district administration to calculate the cost of repair of the shrine of Sufi saint Kaka Sahib, which was damaged in a bomb blast on the second day of Eidul Azha.

He issued these directives during a visit to the shrine on Wednesday.

Condemning the attack, the minister said that those targeting mosques, spiritual places, funerals and bazaars did not deserve to be called human beings or Muslims.

He said that the terrorists had targeted the shrines of Sufi saints, poets and spiritual personalities like Abdur Rahman Baba, Pir Baba, Akhoon Panjo Baba, Hamza Baba, Mian Umar Baba and Ajmal Khattak in the past.

He added that terrorists had nothing to do with religion, belief, caste or language and they only wanted to destabilise the country. — Correspondent

Five injured on road

KARAK, Oct 31: Five people including a woman and her child were injured when a passenger coach collided with a roadside tree on Indus Highway here on Wednesday.

Eyewitnesses said that the coach driver was trying to avoid hitting a taxi parked on the road near Niazi Well stop when the vehicle skidded off the road and hit a tree.

The injured, identified as Zafar Rehman, Saud, Zubair and Samreen and her five-year-old daughter Afshan, were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital. The doctors said that all of the injured were out of danger. — Correspondent

Tribe assures support

UPPER DIR, Oct 31: Rodbari Dalazak tribe has vowed to extend every possible help to the security forces in the region that often sees militant attacks from Afghanistan.

In a meeting of the tribe here on Wednesday, Haji Fazl Rahim, Fazl Hadi, Aziz Khan and Rashid alias Bhutto said they would stand by the security forces against any enemy that wanted to destroy peace in the region, particularly Upper Dir.

The elders said they would not let the country be harmed by anyone and would defend it in testing times.

They said the tribe would also be on the forefront in case of any natural disaster. The leaders said the jirga of the tribe was a proof that it was united and had unanimity of views on all the important issues.

They said they would utilise all their abilities for strengthening the tribe and upholding peace. — Correspondent

Development projects

KOHAT, Oct 31: The provincial minister for housing, Amjid Khan Afridi, has regretted that development projects could not be launched in time in the province due to the security situation.

Speaking at a public meeting here on Wednesday, he stated that now with the establishment of peace the government was expanding its development projects and paying attention to all areas.

He eulogised the achievements of his government like NFC award, renaming of NWFP and 18th amendment.

He criticised the new committee formed to safeguard the interests of Kohat division and termed ‘Huqooq-i-Tahafuz-i-Kohat Conference’ a party of failed leaders who wanted to befool the people again to get their votes.

The meeting was held at Noor Elahi Colony and attended by provincial minister for prisons Mian Nisar Kakakhel, state minister for commerce and trade Senator Abbas Khan Afridi, Shamim Afridi, Advocate Abdur Rauf and local leaders of ANP and PPP. — Correspondent