More dengue patients MINGORA, Oct 29: Twenty-six more dengue patients were on Tuesday admitted to the Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital here as dengue cases have recorded a decline in Swat district with the start of winter.

Dr Wasil Khan, focal person for dengue emergency unit, said the new cases had taken the number of affected people to 8,887. He said 5,039 patients had been admitted to hospital and of them 4,831 had been discharged after treatment.

Dr Khan said that 42 patients, including 31 men, nine women and two children, were under treatment at the hospital, while two persons were discharged during last 24 hours.

Mr Khan said that 22 patients, including 18 men and four women, were in critical condition and had been admitted to high dependency unit of the hospital. -Correspondent Water shortage in Karak KARAK, Oct 29: People of various areas have been facing acute water shortage as water supply scheme of these localities is lying non-functional for last three months.

The residents of Tordhand, Rehmatabad, Sorati Kalay and Sikot, while addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, complained that the Kamangar water supply scheme was closed as the pipeline was damaged by the flash floods.

They said the local elected representatives of the last ANP government recruited their blue eyed people on the scheme who allowed illegal connections from the mainline.

They said the water supply scheme was the only source of drinking water to about 35,000 people.

The elders demanded of the quarters concerned to immediately repair the pipeline and remove illegal connections from it. They threatened to stage protests if the department didn`t take correction measures. -Correspondent Businessmen`s concerns PESHAWAR, Oct 29: The Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry has expressed reservations about the non-issuance of multiple visit visas to Pakistani traders by Afghanistan.

In a press release issued here on Tuesday, the chamber`s director Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi said the organisation had taken up the issue with the Afghan authorities, but the problem persisted.

`While Pakistan has been issuing six months multiple visit visas to Afghan traders in fulfillment of our recommendations, the Afghan government has not changed its policy, said Mr Sarhadi.

He said the Afghan authorities` reluctance to grant visas to Pakistani traders was detrimental to promoting trade between the two countries.

He said the Afghan traders had been exempted from appearing in person while applying for Pakistani visa.

However, the Afghan government was not reciprocating.

He demanded of the Afghan consular general and Afghan ambassador to rectify the situation. -Bureau Report Economic revival in KP PESHAWAR, Oct 29: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry has linked industrialisation and economic growth in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the restoration of peace and improvement in law and order situation in the province.

According to a press release, while talking to an official delegation comprising the 16th Mid-Career Management Course`s participants here, the KPCCI president Zahidullah Shinwari urged the government to adopt prudent measures to promote trade, business, and industrial activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

`Instead of exerting pressure on the taxpayers the government should strive to identify new taxpayers and bring them under the tax net,` said Mr Shinwari.Mr Shinwari said the government should introduce business friendly policies and facilitate the taxpayers which would not only broaden the tax net, but also stabilise economy.

The business community, he said, was confronting problems due to deteriorating law and order situation. -Bureau Report `Bad umpiring` mars T20 final LANDI KOTAL, Oct 29: Controversial umpiring decisions marred the final match of the All-Khyber Akhtar Munir Shaheed T20 cricket tournament which led to boycott of the match by one of the finalists.

The final match was played between Khyber Loins Cricket team and Hamza Cricket Eleven at the Jamrud sports stadium the other day.

Fawad Khan, captain of Hamza Eleven, said they had already protested some umpiring decisions in the semi-finals and demanded of the tournament management to bring neutral umpires from Peshawar for the final match.

However, he said their request was turned down.

Mr Khan alleged that umpires gave three controversial decisions against their batsmen which were also protested by spectators. `We had no option but to leave the field against `bad` umpiring. The captain of the rival team later himself gave away the winning trophy to his own team without waiting for a decision by the tournament committee,` he said. -Correspondent