KOHAT: The police arrested six suspected robbers after exchange of fire in Jarma locality here on Thursday.

Sources said that following a tip-off the police raided a house in Jarma area and ordered the robbers to surrender. However, the suspects instead opened fire at the police, which was retaliated. They claimed that the fire exchange lasted for four hours.

They said that the police finally forced the group to surrender and lay down arms. The Jarma and Riaz Khan Shaheed police stations took part in the operation.

The suspects were identified as Mohammad Pervez, Peshawar, Aurangzeb, Abdul Qadir, Gul Wali and Noor Saeed.

The sources said that the weapons seized from the suspects included four Kalashnikovs, four hand grenades, one 30-bore pistol, six repeaters and binoculars. The Jarma police have registered a case against the suspects.

In another raid, the police arrested two accused wanted in murder cases by Jackson police, Karachi, from Dhoda village on Thursday. Bilitang police raided houses in Dhoda and arrested the two accused identified as Sikandar and Aamir. The police have registered a case and would send them to Karachi for further action.

Meanwhile, the activists of JUI-F, who were booked by police for blocking the Indus Highway on Nov 30 during a protest against the killing of Dr Khalid Soomro, were still at large after passage of three days of registration of the case.

Sources said that the police did not want to arrest them, fearing reaction in the form of strike by the party.

USTARZAI COLLEGE: Anomalies have been detected in the under-construction building of a degree college for girls in Ustarzai, Kohat, as only 25 per cent work could be completed on the project during last one and a half years.

The local elders demanded of the communication and works department to order inquiry into the Rs200 project and take action against the contractor.

The work on the college building started in June 2013 after its groundbreaking by former provincial minister Qalb-e-Hassan. The contractor was directed at that time to complete its 70 per cent work in 18 months, but after lapse of one and a half years only 25 per cent work could be completed.

The college was sanctioned for the western parts of Kohat district from where hundreds of girls had to come to colleges in Kohat city.

The western parts of Kohat were mostly backward and lacked educational facilities for girls.

The elders of the area have demanded of the commissioner to replace the contractor, as he had been unduly delaying the project.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2014