LAKKI MARWAT: The elementary and secondary education department has appointed 89 male teachers to primary, middle, high and higher secondary schools in the district.

`The appointments have been made on merit and in line with the government`s policy,` DDEO Sharifullah Khan told Dawn on Wednesday.

Mr Sharifullah said first the candidates sat the National Testing Service test and then the department checked their cre-dentials and interviewed them before making a list for appointments.

`Under the supervision of DEO Nazir Khan, the relevant authorities examined objections to the list, named selected candidates and issued appointment letters to them,` he said.

The DDEO said among the teachers appointed were 37 primary schoolteachers, 35 certified teachers, one Arabic teacher, four theology teachers, six physical education teachers and three drawing masters and garis each.

The district chapter of All Primary Schoolteachers Association welcomed appointments and said they would contribute to improvement of educational standards in government schools.

Apta provincial vice presidentShafiq Ahmad, district president Haji Abdul Rahim and general secretary Mohammad Ibrahim said the appointments were long overdue as many government schools in the district were short of teachers.

THREE KILLED: Three people were shot dead in two separate incidents in Lakki Marwat on Wednesday.

The police said a youngster was killed and his uncle was injured after rivals fired gunshots at them in Abakhel area.

They said Jan Mohammad was present in a guestroom along with nephews Mir Baz Khan, Abdul Rahim Khan, Syed Alam Khan and Mohammad Khan when Gohar Ayub, Naseer Mohammad and Hazrat Usman allegedly showed up and opened fire.

The police said the firing leftSyed Alam dead and his uncle Jan Mohammad injured.

They said the injured man was admitted to the Government City Hospital, while the body was handed over to the relevant family after autopsy.

The police said the two groups had a land dispute and that a case had been registered against the suspects before the start of investigation into the killings.

Also in the day, two members of a family were shot dead in Chuharkhel village.

The local police said Mohammad Javed and Khyal Mohammad were ambushed by armed rivals when they were riding a motorcycle.

They said they had booked Akram, Sheeran, Ajab Khan, Ramdad and Jamal for the killings before beginning investigation.