LAKKI MARWAT: The week-long Independence Day and Maarka-i-Haq celebrations began with a grand ceremony in Bannu on Friday.

The provincial minister for public health engineering department, Malik Pakhtoon Yar Khan, graced the occasion as a chief guest.

The opening ceremony held at the Sports Complex was attended among others by deputy commissioner Muhammad Fahim, additional DC Aminullah Khan, ACs Allah Nawaz and Dr Ishfaq, additional AC Shakil Ahmad and officials of the line departments.

The Independence Week featured judo karate and inter-madaris volleyball, special persons` wheelchair badminton, hand ball and target ball, athletics and tug of war, basketball, hockey, tchoukball, football, boxing, table tennis and other events.

The FC band played musical compositions of patriotic songs while Khattak dance and horse dance enthralled the participants.

Local players also exhibited their judo karate and gymnastic skills and received a great applause from the attendees.

The minister said on the occasion that the Independence Day and Maraka-e-Haq celebrations were being held to attract people, especially youth towards healthy and recreational activities.

He said that the provincial government was taking serious steps to promote sports as the chief minister had issued special instructions to the relevant authorities to ensure provision of all sorts of modern facilities to players across the province.

`Besides playing a key role in physical and mental growth of youth, sports also promote social cohesion and positive thinking,` he maintained.

FUNDS SOUGHT: The members of Marwat Adabi Jirga, a literary body, have asked the provincial government to provide funds for conversion of the water supply scheme of the Government Postgraduate College Lakki Marwat to solar power.

The demand was made during a meeting with the college`s principal, Ahmad Iqbal Paras, on Friday.

Mr Iqbal briefed the jirga leaders about the ongoing cleanliness and beautification work and the tree plantation activity being carried out in the college.

He also shed light on problems faced by students and faculty members, saying that the prolonged and excessive electricity outage was the main reason for shortage of water in the institution.

The Marwat Adabi Jirga leaders including Nadir Khan Alil, Abdul Wahab Arman, Sher Zaman Muskan and Hamid Khan Meenakhel said the power outage issue would be taken up with the MPs for its early resolution, adding, `The conversion of the only tube well of the college to solar power would also help in overcoming the water shortage problem.

They also visited the library and Pashto department at the college and urged the principal to launch BS Pashto classes on the campus, assuring him that they would motivate students to get admission in the discipline and play their effective role in promotion of their mother language.