Poisonous liquor kills three NOWSHERA, Dec 8: Three people died and two others fainted after drinking poisonous liquor here on Sunday.

Police said that five friends of minority groups consumed locally-made substandard liquor in Nowshera cantonment.

Their condition deteriorated after drinking the liquor and were rushed to the district headquarters hospital Nowshera.

Later, they were referred to Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar where three of them including Jamil alias Peela, Jamil Masih Miskeen Mughal breathed their last while two others Khadim and Pervaz were in critical condition.

The Nowshera cantt police have registered a case and started investigation. Correspondent Power pylon blown up CHARSADDA, Dec 8: Parts of Charsadda and Mohmand Agency plunged into darkness after an electricity tower was blown up in Saro Kali area of Shabgadar in the wee hours of Sunday.

According to reports, unknown miscreants planted an improvised explosive device (IED) to the 132KV transmission line electricity tower and detonated it early on Sunday morning which exploded with a big bang. As a result, the tower was damaged and the power supply to various localities in Shabgadar and parts of Mohmand Agency were disrupted.

DSP Salim Riaz and SHO reached the spot and launched a search operation. The bomb disposal unit personnel said that one kilogramme explosive was used in the device. The Saro police station have registered a case and started investigation. Correspondent Anti-corruption week PESHAWAR, Dec 8: In order to commemorate the international anti-corruption day, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to observe an anti-corruption week from Dec 9 to 14.`Elimination of corruption from the society is a moral and religious obligation for all of us and as such all segments of the society will have to play their individual and collective role to fight the menace of corruption,` the chief minister said in a message here on Sunday.

He termed the role of media in curbing corruption as very important and said that media should play its vital role in exposing corruption wherever it existed.

Mr Khattak urged upon the government functionaries, civil society, educational institutions media and all segment of society to put their hands together to make this anti-corruption week a real success in terms of raising maximum awareness against the menace. Bureau Report PTI flays Sherpao PESHAWAR, Dec 8: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has criticised Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao for describing the sit-in against Nato supply as a non-issue and said that PTI is of the firm belief to continue raising the issue in the best interest of the country.

A statement issued here on Sunday said that Sherpao`s criticism on PTI`s sit-in was baseless and against the interests of the nation because PTI and its allies had initiated it against the US hegemony and anti-Muslim policies.

`Sherpao should explain his party`s policy about drone strikes and Nato supplies as his statements are against the interests of people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata,` the statement said and added that the QWP chief remained a part of the former government of Pervez Musharraf and he was still under influence of the dictatorial policies. Bureau Report Drama festival MARDAN, Dec 8: A drama festival was held at the government postgraduate college Mardan for women where student groups staged different plays.

According to a press release issued here on Sunday, in the English drama competition, the fourth-year students presented Shakespearean comedy `Twelfth Knight`.

They enthralled the audience by reliving the spirit of 14th century English drama. The second year class staged Charles Dickens`s novel `Great Expectation` and first year students performed on a short story `The Blanket`. Two other interesting plays were presented by the BS students which were very much applauded.

The in charge of the `Dramatic Gala`, Ms Husan Ara, assistant professor English, was congratulated by the audience for a well organised programme. Principal Madam Haleema appreciated the efforts of students and organisers. English drama `Twelfth Knight` directed by Ms Husan Ara received the first prize. The drama of BS political science `Back Benchers` got the second prize and first year students got the third prize for staging `The Blanket`. Correspondent Marble city rejected DAGGAR, Dec 8: The Salarzai tribe of Buner district has rejected the proposed marble city at Bazargay and said that the agriculture land of the tribe would be protected at all costs.

This was decided at a jirga of the Salarzai tribe held at Jowar here on Sunday. The jirga decided that they would hold protest demonstrations if the government did not scrap the proposed marble city.

The jirga was attended by representatives of all political parties and elders of Salarzai tribe. Prominent among those present included Fazal Mabood, Qareebur Rehman, Mufti Saeedur Rehman, Mohammad Rasool, Mohammad Aziz, Habibullah Khan and Mir Nawab Khan.

They said that the proposed project required 1,600 acre agriculture land which would deprive over 70 families of their only source of income. They said that the project would affect the entire village in the long run. They accused the political leaders of the district of scheming against the interests of the local people and had proposed the marble city project to appease the owners of a few marble factories. Correspondent Loan scheme praised KHAR, Dec 8: Tribal elders, politicians and traders have welcomed the prime minister Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif for extending the youth business loan programme to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and said it would not only curb unemployment among the youths but it will also help to eliminate militancy and extremism in the entire tribal region.

Talking to reporters here on Sunday the tribal elders and political leaders, including senior leader of PML-N and MNA Shahabuddin Khan, Senator Hidayatullah Khan, PML-N Bajaur president Haji Rahat yousaf, Dr Mohammad Gul Pechawal, Malik Mohammad Yar Khan, Malik Abdul Aziz Khan and Abdul Manan Janbaz lauded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over the youth programme.

They said it would provide an opportunity to the tribesmen for showing their talent and ability for the economic development of the area. The elders also demanded of the prime minister to announce a special development package for the war battered tribal areas. Correspondent Talks with Taliban CHARSADDA, Dec 8: Shiekhul Quran Maulana Mohammad Tayyab Tahiri, central amir of Jamaat Ishaat Al-Tawheed Wal Sunnat, has said that the people who are now supporting talks with Taliban have fomented sectarianism causing bloodshed of thousands of innocent people in the country.

This he said in his address to provincial shura of the Jamaat here in Charsadda. Ulema, amirs and nazmeen (administrators) from throughout Khyber Pakhtunkhwa participated in the shura meeting.Correspondent