Three killed in mudslide

MANSEHRA, March 2: A woman and two girls of a family were buried alive when their house was struck by a mudslide in Torghar district on Saturday.

Residents said the mudslide buried the house of Shamsur Rehman in the Chum Jabba village, killing his two daughters and a daughter-in-law.

DSP Torghar Waheed Murad told reporters the bodies of two victims, Bakhtunisa and Aayna Bibi, were retrieved from the debris, while Nazeera Bibi, who was critically injured, died on way to hospital. He said the mudslide was triggered by heavy rain.

Meanwhile, a woman, Farzana Bibi, was killed when she was hit by a bullet during celebratory firing at a function in Oghi on Saturday.

In another incident, an aged man committed suicide in Tarangri Sabir Shah area. The police said the victim, Dilawar Shah, committed suicide over unknown reasons. The body was handed over to relatives after autopsy.—Correspondent

‘Q’ leader likely to join PML-N

MANSEHRA, March 2: Sardar Mohammad Yousuf, former MNA and father of Minister of State Sardar Shahjahan Yousuf, has sought opinion of his friends and supporters to decide about joining the PML-N.

“We held two separate meetings of supporters seeking their opinion on joining a new party and I would respect their opinion,” said Mr Yousuf, while talking to reporters after a meeting here on Saturday.

Mr Yousuf could not contest the general elections in 2008 because of the graduation degree bar and his son Shahjahan Yousuf won the election on NA-20, Mansehra, on PML-Q ticket. Sardar Mohammad Yousuf had joined PML-Q deserting PML-N when Sharif brothers left for Saudi Arabia in 1999.

During the two meetings, the participants supported him to join the PML-N.

Meanwhile, PML-Q provincial president Syed Qasim Shah told Dawn on telephone from Lahore he was shocked at the news that Mr Yousuf planned to join PML-N.—Correspondent

PPP workers seek poll strategy

CHITRAL, March 2: Pakistan People’s Party, Chitral former general secretary Syed Sardar Hussain Shah has demanded of the party high command to give the workers a chance to decide about the nomination of party’s candidates for the forthcoming general elections.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, he said the Chitral district had been stronghold of the party since its inception but it suffered electoral defeat in the past due to the wrong decisions about the party tickets.

Mr Shah said the party leaders should not repeat the mistake of awarding the ticket to the people from outside the district which will disappoint the party workers.

He criticised some local leaders of the party who were creating rifts among the workers. He asked the workers to recognise and keep such elements at bay.—Correspondent

Compensation sought

GHALANAI, March 2: A tribal journalist, who had survived a twin suicide bombing at a jirga, while his brother was killed, is still deprived of compensation after passage of over two years of the incident.

Mohib Ali Haleemzai was seriously injured in the suicide bombing on Dec 6, 2010, while covering a tribal jirga. His brother Zia Wali Shah and scores of others were killed in the attack.

He complained that neither the media organisations nor Fata Secretariat helped the families of journalists killed in terrorist acts. “Their families need attention of the authorities because they need proper look after and education,” said Mohib Ali.

He said his name was not recommended to the provincial governor for compensation due to the negligence of the concerned officials.

Mr Haleemzai said their families were passing miserable life. “No solid step has been taken by the political administration and the federal government to compensate these families,” he alleged.—Correspondent

Officials remanded in custody

KOHAT, March 2: The senior civil judge remanded two revenue officials into the custody of anti-corruption department for three days on Saturday for involvement in corruption.

The anti-corruption department had presented the two officials before the judge, Syed Obaidullah Shah, for seeking their remand. The judge after reviewing the case and hearing arguments of the government prosecutor remanded the officials for three days for interrogation.

The anti-corruption department was trying to arrest the third accused identified as Waheedullah who has been on the run.

The other two have been identified as tehsildar Ikramullah and girdawar Sohail Iqbal. They had committed corruption of Rs190 million.—Correspondent