SHANGLA: The livestock department in Chakesar tehsil on Sunday imposed a 10-day ban on the transportation and slaughter of animals following a spike in foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) cases in the area.

A statement issued by the department`s veterinary officer Dr Haider Hayat said that following a spike in FMD cases among animals, the decision was taken as a safety precaution. He added that strict legal action would be taken against those violating the decision. Butchers were therefore required to refrain from slaughtering livestock and selling it at their shops with-out clearance from the livestock department.

The veterinary officer also urged local residents to refrain from transporting or slaughtering animals and buying beef from butchers for the next 10 days. He added that they would be informed of further developments regarding the disease if it was not brought under controlby then.

MINER LAID TO REST: A coal miner who died in a coal mine incident in Hyderabad, Sindh, was laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard in the Manago area of Alpuri.

According to locals, Bakhti Rehman died in a coal mine incident the other day and his deadbody was brought to his native town.

The spokesperson for the Shangla coal mine workersrights association said it was the fifth body brought to the area in the last 10 days from various parts of the country where coal miners had lost their lives.

SNOWFALL: The upper parts of Shangla district experienced a second spell of snowfall, bringing colder weather to the region. The snowfall, which persisted until late evening, also affected the district`s plains.

Residents of Lilwonai, Kana, Puran, and Chakesar confirmed snowfall in their mountainous areas and reported cold winds sweeping through the region. Correspondent