BAJAUR: Deputy Inspector General of Police, Malakand division, Mohammad Ijaz Khan said on Thursday that the government had decided in principle to increase the amount of Shuhada Package for the martyred police officials in the tribal districts.

He was talking to police officials during a visit to the home of martyred police personnel Jahangir Khan in Umary area to offer condolences and express sympathies with his family.

Constable Jahangir was killed by unknown persons in an attack in Chajoo area late on Saturday evening. His brother was also wounded in the attack.

The DIG assured the bereaved family of assistance and said that the entire police department stood with them in this difficult time.

He said that a son of the martyred cop would be recruited in the police department.

SCHOOLS REOPENING: The owners of private schools in Bajaur tribal district on Thursday announced to reopen their institutions on Saturday under the standard operating procedures.

The announcement was made by Private Education Network ( PEN) chairman Noor Rahman at a press conference here.

Accompanied by some school owners, Noor Rahman said the decision to reopen the private educational institutions, including schools and colleges, on Aug 15 was made at a meeting of the owners and management of all private educational institutions on Wednesday.

He said that it was unanimously decided to reopen private educational institutions across the district while strictly following the SOPs to avoid spread of coronavirus.

He claimed that the decision to reopen schools was justified after the federal and provincial governments lifted restrictions on business and other activities.

Answering a question, he said they had informed the district administration and the education department about their decision and hoped they would not resist reopening of the institutions.

BARANG PROTEST: The residents of Barang, the native town of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNA Gul Dad Khan and his elder brother, MPA Eng Ajmal Khan, staged a protest demonstration here the other day against the police for arresting a number of villagers after a clash.

The clash erupted when some residents were allegedly found cutting trees along a road. The police told them not to fell trees from the public property, but they did not obey the orders, forcing the police to arrest the villagers.

The residents said a group of elders immediately approached the personnel at a nearby police post and requested them to set free all the villagers. However, the police officials refused to release the people, forcing the residents to protest.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2020