SWABI: Frequent incidents of fire have destroyed wheat crop standing over 800 kanals of land in Swabi, incurring huge losses on the poor farmers, rescue officials and growers told Dawn on Saturday.

According to them, 25 wheat fields with the crop reaching the harvest stage have been destroyed during last 20 days.

Arshad Iqbal, Swabi head of Rescue 1122, said firefighters had managed to put out fires in most of the cases in a timely manner, thus preventing them from reaching the houses.

He said negligence, throwing of burning cigarette stubs, children playing with match boxes, or a criminal act could be the reasons for frequent incidents of fires.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Ali Dagiwal, a member of Kashtkar Coordination Council, said burning of wheat crop at the harvest stage had caused great losses to farmers. He said such incidents were causing animosities among the people as a farmer, whose crop was turned into ashes, was likely to take revenge from people involved in the crime.

Meanwhile, a fire broke out on the Karamar Mountain. However, it was put out by a team of Rescue 1122 firefighters.

Also, firefighters extinguished a fire that engulfed dry grass and trees along the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway near the Swabi Interchange.

PROTEST: The local leaders and workers of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl staged a protest demonstration on Saturday against the Madina incident.

The protesters led by the party’s central naib emir Maulana Fazal Ali gathered in Topi Tehsil headquarters and then marched to the Safdar Chowk.

MAN KILLS SISTER: A man killed his sister and injured his nephew over a property dispute in Turlandi village of Razaar teshil on Saturday.

Kalu Khan police station officials identified the deceased as Rozia Begum and her injured son as Saad Khan.

Mr Saad told the police that his uncle, Mohammad Fazil opened fire on them, leaving his mother dead on the spot, and injured him.

Also, unidentified assailants shot at and injured a woman belonging to Spinkani village. She was taken to a hospital, where her condition was stated to be critical.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2022