MANSEHRA: The patwaris (revenue officials) in upper parts of Hazara ended their one-month strike after authorities warned them to terminate their services.

`We have ended our strike and joined duty but it is unfortunate that government did not accept any of our demands,` Sarfaraz Abbasi, a representative of patwaris, told journalists here on Tuesday.

The patwaris in Mansehra and Battagram districts had been on strike since May 30 to force government to accept their demands.

The patwaris in other parts of the province except Hazara had ended their strike last month. The deputy commissioners of Mansehra and Battagram issued final notices to the protesting patwaris the other day to join their duty or face termination.

Mr Abbasi said that a delegationof Hazara patwaris met with Provincial Revenue Minister Ameenullah Gandapur and apprised him of their problems but despite that none of their demands was met and they were forced to end their strike.

He said that representatives of revenue officials from Hazara had told the minister that their allowances had not been increased since 1904. `Is this justice and real change in the province? It is not justice. The government should consider our demands for providing better revenue services to people,` he said.

Mr Abbasi said that patwaris would continue their struggle for acceptance of their 26-point charter of demands.

Syed Jaffar Shah, the president of revenue staff in Battagram, announced end of the strike. He told journalists that patwaris rejoined their duty on Tuesday.

`We are going to end our strike and rejoining duty on the call ofour provincial president,` Mr Shah said. He added that revenue officials had full confidence in their provincial president Mohammad Khan Lala and hoped that their problems would be addressed soon.

ACCIDENTS: A woman and a minor boy were killed in two different road accidents here on Tuesday.

In the first incident, a speedy tractor hit a woman, who was crossing the road near the bus stand in Oghi. The woman identified as Taj Bibi was taken to civil hospital where doctors pronounced her dead. The driver fled the scene and left the tractor, which was taken into possession by police.

In the second incident, a minor boy was hit by a tractor in Batangi Mor. Sources said that four-year-old Mohammad Saddagat was standing at the roadside when a tractor hit him. He was taken to King Abdullah Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.