LAKKI MARWAT: Highwaymen shot dead a truck driver in Darra Pezu town of Lakki Marwat district on Tuesday night, the police said.

They said the truck driver, Malang, a resident of Shahrag area of Balochistan, was killed when he tried to reverse his vehicle to escape the bandits.

Allahdad, a resident of Ziarat area of Balochistan, who accompanied the slain driver, told the police that they were taking coal from Shahrag area to Peshawar.

He said when they reached the Darra Pezu mountains at 2am, a group of highwaymen was already busy in looting passengers on the DI Khan Road. “After noticing them, Malang tried to reverse his vehicle, but three bandits came there and one of them shot at him with his weapon,” he maintained.

He said the driver sustained critical head injuries and died instantly. He said the armed men snatched a mobile phone and cash from him and fled the place.

The police said the body was shifted to a local health facility for postmortem.

Meanwhile, the police arrested four outlaws during a search and strike operation in Shahbazkhel town of Lakki Marwat on Wednesday.

An official said a party of Shahbazkhel police station led by SHO Zaman Shah raided a hideout of criminals in Masha Mansoor area and arrested a proclaimed offender, Zakirullah, who was wanted in a murder case.

He added Hidayatullah, who was facilitator of criminals, was held during a raid in Jhangkhel.

The official said police also raided a hideout of an outlaw in Sherikhel village and seized arms and ammunition. He said during the raids, police also arrested Fazal Waheed, who was facing charges of torturing a citizen in Badnikhel area.

The police also arrested a drug trafficker, Abdul Samad, and recovered a small quantity of ice drug from him.

TREE PLANTATION: Additional commissioner Baidullah Shah inaugurated spring tree plantation drive by planting saplings on the premises of commissioner’s office in Bannu on Wednesday.

Officials of the forest department were also present on the occasion.

The sub-divisional forest officer said his department planned to increase forest cover during the ongoing plantation campaign.

Mr Baidullah directed the forest officials to engage civil society, teachers and students in plantation drive to make it a success.

Published in Dawn, February 29th, 2024