MANSEHRA: A man allegedly killed his wife after she refused to give consent to his second marriage in Pirain area here on Sunday, the police said.

Babar Fida, a brother of the victim, lodged an FIR with the police, stating his brother-in-law Adil Zeb informed him on telephone that he had killed his wife.

He added he rushed to the spot and found his sister, Farhat Bibi, lying in a pool of blood. The complainant said he shifted his sister to the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead.

Fida said his brother-in-law had a second marriage without the consent of his first wife, the mother of his two children.

The body was handed over to the family after completion of the medico-legal formalities.

ILLEGAL MINING: People of Oghi and suburbs on Sunday demanded of the government to take action against illegal mining.

“We are facing environmental issues owing to illegal mining underway in parts of Darband and Oghi tehsils,” Umar Khitab Jalwal, chairman of the Agror-Tanawal Action Committee, told reporters.

The committee was constituted by the affected people of Agror and Tanawal to push for halting the mining in the areas.

“Illegal mining is underway in Shungli Bandi, Shergar, Karori and Nikapani union councils, but the mines and minerals development is unmoved,” Mr Jalwal said.

He said the Mansehra-Oghi-Darband Road, which was blacktopped recently with Rs1 billion funds, had developed cracks as truckers used the artery to ship tonnes of granite and other minerals from here to markets across the country.

“The mining activity has destroyed water resources and forests,” he said, adding the committee had also taken up the issue with the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, but to no avail.

Mr Jalwal urged the caretaker chief minister to take notice of illegal practice.

RALLIES: Rallies were held across the Hazara division on Sunday to express solidarity with Pakistan Army and Army Chief Gen Asim Munir.

Traders, clerics, and members of civil society participated in different rallies, which were taken out from different parts of the Mansehra city and its suburbs. The participants turned into a big gathering at the Khatm-i-Nubowat Chowk.

Holding national flags, banners and placards, the participants marched through Abbottabad, Shinkiari and Kashmir roads and raised slogans in support of the army chief.

Meanwhile, rallies were also held in Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan, Kolai-Palas and Torghar districts.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2023