KOHAT: Hundreds of sanitary workers of Water Supply and Sanitation Company (WSSC) demonstrated here the other day against the delayed payment of salaries by the tehsil municipal administration.

Addressing the protesters, president of the sanitation workers’ association Mohammad Sohail accused the tehsil municipal officer of deliberately delaying the salaries. He said the salaries were paid to workers when they started agitating.

He said sanitation workers had been transferred to WSSC from TMA under an agreement in 2016, which stipulated that the TMA would continue to pay the salaries to workers. He said the WSSC only paid 15 per cent deputation allowance to workers.

Mr Sohail termed WSSC a white elephant and demanded it should be abolished as its officers drew hefty salaries by just sitting in their air-conditioned offices, enjoying free food, luxury cars and other perks. He said TMA was unable to pay salaries to 550 sanitation workers as it had also to pay salaries and pensions to its permanent staff.

SHOT DEAD: A man was shot dead in the high security zone of cantonment here the other day with the killer managing to escape.

The police said that according to CCTV footage, the deceased, Waqar was passing in front of a police building when a man, Sher Khan pulled out a pistol and started firing at him. They said the victim received five bullets and died on the spot. They said a traffic warden on duty chased the killer and also fired at him, but he disappeared in a market.

The body of the victim was taken to the KDA Teaching Hospital for autopsy, and later handed over to the family.

The deceased’s family nominated Amanullah, Abid and Amir in the FIR.

D-DAY CELEBRATIONS: The district administration said on Sunday deliberations were under way to hold the Independence Day festivities amid tight security arrangements to ensure protection to the lives and properties of people, brushing aside public fears the day may not be celebrated after last week’s ban on gatherings imposed by deputy commissioner Dr Azmatullah Wazir in view of the terror incidents.

When contacted, additional deputy commissioner Shehryar Qamar told Dawn the law and order situation was very precarious after a surge in suicide attacks in the province, which called for foolproof measures.

He said district police officer Farhan Khan, assistant commissioners, and additional assistant commissioners would be taken on board to devise a strategy for holding the peaceful celebrations on August 14.

Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner, acting on public complaints about nuisance caused by the use of pressure horns in the run up to the August 14 celebrations, directed the officials to confiscate the material from the shops.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2023