LAKKI MARWAT: Agriculture minister Sajjad Barakwal has said the provincial government will launch projects of Baroach dam and a canal to meet water requirements for both irrigation and drinking purposes in Karak district.

Speaking at a public meeting in Shinwa Guddikhel union council on Tuesday, he said under Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan`s vision, the government was committed to utilising public funds on welfare schemes.

He said efforts were being made to overcome the water shortage issue in the union council. `There will be no politics on the drinking water issue,` he said.

The minister said as per the vision of PTI founding chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan, his party believed in serving people beyond their political affiliations.

He said along with resolving problems in the education sector, the government would also set up a centre to promote cultivation of date palm of Dhaki species.

`The provincial government will also put water supply schemes on solar power so that the rural population could get clean drinking water during prolonged electricity breakdowns,` he added.

The minister also said the provincial government would sinkirrigation tube wells to boost the agriculture sector in the southern district.

Later, the minister also addressed a public gathering in the Malikabad Chokara area where he assured the people that the government would resolve their problems on a priority basis.

TWO WOMEN SMUGGLERS HELD: Police arrested two women smugglers and seized a large quantity of hashish from them in the Dadiwala area of Lakki Marwat district on Tuesday.

District police officer Mohammad Jawad Ishaq told Dawn that after receiving information about narcotics smuggling, the police were alerted to check suspected vehicles on PeshawarKarachi Highway.

He said a party of Dadiwala police station led by SHO Jamil Khan established a temporary checkpoint on the highway and intercepted a passenger coach bound for DI Khan from Peshawar.

`Two suspected women sitting in the front seat of the coach were disembarked from the vehicle and searched by a policewoman,` he said, adding during the search, the police seized 9.9kg hashish from both of them.

He said the women had wrapped the packets of narcotics around their bodies.

A case was registered against the suspects, identified as Shabnam and Nadia, residents of DI Khan.