CHARSADDA: Additional sessions judge Shabqadar Asghar Ali Shah Khilji narrowly escaped an attempt on his life when he was returning home from duty here on Monday.

The police said the judge was targeted near Pahlawan Qila area on Peshawar-Shabqadar Road by two masked men riding a motorcycle.

They said the motorcyclists fired three bullets on the judge’s car but the target remained unhurt.

The police said the gunmen escaped after the attack.

When contacted, DPO Charsadda Shafiullah Khan said he’d visited the attack site and had ordered the police inquiry to take attackers to the task.

He said a committee headed by DSP (circle) Abdur Rashid and having the SHO of Shabqadar as its member would probe into the attack.

The DPO said raids were conducted at several places for the arrest of attackers by the night, but to no avail.

After the attack, the police beefed up security throughout the district.

HONOUR KILLING: A girl and a boy were killed in the name of honour by their relatives in jurisdiction of the city police station here on Monday.

The alleged killers later surrendered to the police.

Siar Mohammad of the elite police told the city police that he’d gunned down his brother and Hazrat Khan his sister in Chitral Korona area for dishonouring their respective families.

The police registered a murder case and began investigation.

It was the third incident of honour killing in Charsadda over the last few days.

On Sept 26, Mohammad Asif had killed wife and her alleged paramour in Haleemabad area of Utmanzai, while on Sept 21, Ghulam Sarwar of Amirabad Dhaki gunned down his daughter and injured her alleged paramour.

COMPENSATION: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) provincial president and MPA Sikandar Sherpao on Monday urged the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led provincial government to declare the union councils in Charsadda district calamity-hit for being affected by hailstorm and unveil a comprehensive financial package for the affected farmers forthwith.

QWP MPAs Khalid Khan and Arshad Umarzai were also present on the occasion.

Speaking at a press conference, Sikander said heavy hailstorm coupled with rain damaged standing crop and orchards in 21 union councils in Tangi tehsil of Charsadda district.

He said some union councils, where the rain and hailstorm played havoc, included Tarnab, Umarzai, Kangra, Tarangzai, Sherpao, Abazai, Zyam, Mirza Dher, Gandheri, Koza Behram, Dheri, Hari Chand Mandani, Shodaag and Daulatpur.

Sikandar asked the provincial government to write off the loans of the calamity-hit farmers and waive off the agriculture taxes for their relief.

He said the rain also destroyed orchards causing heavy losses to farmers.

The QWP leader said PTI government had abandoned the people of the province before getting themselves involved in non-issues.

“The problems that the common people are facing have faded into oblivion due to the flippant attitude of the government,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2014