Halt to drone attacks urged

KOHAT, Feb 3: Senator Abbas Khan Afridi has demanded immediate end to the killings of innocent tribesmen in drone attacks.

Speaking at a jirga here on Sunday, he said drone strikes were direct attacks on the sovereignty of the country.

Senator Afridi, who is also the state minister for trade and commerce, said the US had been describing killing of innocent tribesmen as collateral damage which was shameful.

He claimed out of five deaths in a drone attack five were civilians, who were not paid any compensation. He asked the PML-N president Nawaz Sharif to clear his party’s position on the US and India.

Speaking on the occasion, provincial Housing Minister Amjid Afridi said he had spent Rs360 million on power supply schemes in his constituency and work on two colleges at Rs420 million was in progress. He said Rs1.48 billion was being spent on gas supply schemes to 31 villages and a vocational institute was under construction at Rs150 million.—Correspondent

People repair flood-hit road

CHITRAL, Feb 3: The people of Charun and Kuragh villages of upper Chitral repaired portions of Chitral-Booni road on self-help basis which had been washed away by floods four years ago at Shogram. Syed Jawad Ali Shah, a local social worker of Charun, told Dawn on telephone local volunteers participated in the reconstruction work of the hilly road, which completed in three days.

He criticised the government for its failure to rehabilitate the road in four years and said the people were facing tremendous hardships as the vehicular traffic had been diverted to a long and rough route along the river.

Mr Shah said there was no alternative other than digging the hillock on self-help basis for which the volunteers worked more than ten hours daily. The residents lashed out at the local MPA Ghulam Mohammad for failing to rehabilitate the road. Sweets were distributed among the workers when the first vehicle passed through the road after four years.—Correspondent

Body of woman recovered

NOWSHERA, Feb 3: Police recovered body of a young woman when three unidentified men were trying to bury it in Usmanabad locality here on Sunday.

Officials said the police raided the area after receiving information from local people that three suspected men having a bag were digging a grave in Mian Ilyas area in Akora Khattak.

Seeing the police, the three men escaped, leaving behind the bag. The police recovered the body of a young woman from it. Officials said the body bore marks of violence and was shifted to DHQ Nowshera for autopsy. Akora Khattak police registered case against unknown accused.

Meanwhile, police arrested an alleged extortionist who demanded Rs2 million from a doctor at Risalpur.

Officials said Dr Mohammad Khalid filed a complaint in Risalpur police station saying an unknown person demanded Rs2 million from him on telephone. He said the caller threatened of consequences if he didn’t arrange money. The police traced the accused, Jan Mohammad, from mobile phone number.—Correspondent

Free medical camp

LAKKI MARWAT, Feb 3: The Al-Khidmat Foundation with the support of Tanzeem-i-Lissail Walmehroom held a free medical camp in Kotka Atlas village near Naurang town on Sunday.

Doctors examined over 600 patients and provided them with free medicines. The patients were also extended free laboratory test facility. Women and children from the village and other adjacent localities visited the camp to get free treatment facilities. The foundation’s president Abdul Ghaffar Faryadi along with area elders visited the camp and checked the healthcare facilities being provided to patients. He said such camps would be set up in other far flung localities to enable the residents to avail free treatment facilities near their residences.—Correspondent

‘PPP to sweep elections’

PESHAWAR, Feb 3: Provincial deputy general secretary of PPP Zahir Shah Toru said on Sunday that PPP ‘being the most popular political party of masses’ will get overwhelming victory in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in coming elections and form government. He said all political parties were united to protect democracy.

“Our top priority after winning the elections would be establishment of durable peace in the province and generating economic activities by installing new industrial units in KP,” he said while addressing party workers here. He said PPP was united and organised under the leadership of PPP provincial president Anwar Saifullah Khan and will give tough time to opponents.

Mr Toru said despite challenges of terrorism and floods, the PPP and ANP coalition government continued development process and provided relief to people. He said PPP believed in power of masses, adding PPP great leaders laid down their lives for the rights of masses and democracy.—APP

Jam Yousaf’s death condoled

PESHAWAR, Feb 3: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Barrister Masood Kausar has expressed his condolence over the sad demise of the former chief minister of Balochistan Jam Mohammad Yousaf.

In his condolence message on Sunday, the governor while expressing his deep sympathies with members of the bereaved family said the deceased was a seasoned politician whose services for the country especially the province of Balochistan will be remembered for a long time to come.

The governor also prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and courage to the bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss with patience.—APP

Free eye camp

PESHAWAR, Feb 3: A three-day free eye camp was held in Kalaya, headquarters of Orakzai Agency, wherein more than 1,000 patients were examined and treated besides conducting 28 successful operations. The eye camp was organised on the directives of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor and director health services Fata A team of directorate health services Fata led by eye specialist Dr Syed Mohammad Saqlain examined the patients and referred major cases to Peshawar for further treatment.

Tribal elders appreciated the government gesture and expressed the hope that such camps will be organised in future too.—APP

Construction of link roads

PESHAWAR, Feb 3: The political administration in Mohmand Agency has completed construction of three link roads and pavement of streets in different areas to provide better communication facilities and improve sewerage system.

Official sources said on Sunday, the political administration completed construction work on 1.7 kilometers link road and 135 meters street pavement in Faizabad and Malik Daud Kalay areas of Ambaar tehsil.

Similarly, construction work on 1.5 kilometers link road and 76 meters sewerage line in Zore Kalay village and 1.3 kilometers link road and 152 meters sewerage line in Shakkri village in Khoizai tehsil were also completed.—APP