LAKKI MARWAT: Social and political activists have rejected the increase in the gas meter rent and asked the federal government to withdraw the decision.

Talking to Dawn here on Sunday, Dr Mohammad Iqbal and Ahmad Nawaz of PTI, Din Mohammad and Ihsanullah of PPP and Shal(i Uzair of a civil society organisation said the increase in the gas meter rent from Rs40 to Rs500 was beyond comprehension.

They wondered why the superior courts did not take notice of such `anti-people` step of the government.

`The gas consumers, who would pay a monthly bill of Rs250 to Rs3OO in summer, would now be forced to pay Rs1,500 to Rs2,000 per month,` they claimed. They said local residents were also facing prolonged gas outages.

MAN KILLED: A man was killed a day before his marriage in Saeedkhel locality of the Lakki Marwat city, police said on Sunday.

They said the body of Waris Khan, 31, was found dumped in a street and shifted to the Government City Hospital.

Nawab Khan, 63, father of the deceased, said on information from locals they found his body from the place lying in a pool of blood. He said his family had no enmity with anyone.

The police registered a case against the unknown killer(s).

SECURITY AUDIT: Bannu Regional Police Officer Syed Ashfaq Anwar on Sunday conducted a security audit of the police lines and different police stations in Lakki Marwat district.

The security audit of the police installations was carried out after the Thursday night`s terror attacks on the Pakistan Army installations.

District police chief Mohammad Ashfaq Khan and DSP Ismail Khan accompanied him.

The district police chief briefed the regional police officer about the security of the police lines, police stations and other important and sensitive installations in the district.

The RPO checked the deployment of cops in the police lines and at the main entrance of the District Headquarters Complex.

Mr Anwar inspected the police`s offices, barracks, residentialquarters, vehicles and otherfacilities at the police lines.

He also went to the command and control centre where he was briefed about the online surveillance and supervision of security-related matters of the police stations and police posts.

He directed the district police chief to put the policemen on high alert so they could respond to any emergency effectively.

In Bannu, DPO Ziauddin Ahmed asked the subordinate police officials to ensure repair and maintenance of the out-of-order vehicles and submit a report to him.

During a visit to the police lines, he inspected the vehicles and expressed dismay over lacl( of interest on part of the officials to repair the faulty vehicles.