MANSEHRA, Nov 10: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa`s social welfare department has started payment of monthly stipend of Rs500 to senior citizens of backward Torghar district.

`We have received a cheque of Rs1.4 million to be disbursed among 219 senior citizens in the district. Verification of the beneficiaries has been completed by a scrutiny committee,` said Naseer Ahmad, district in-charge of the social welfare and women empowerment department, while speaking to reporters in Torghar on Sunday. He sought more applications for the purpose.

Mr Naseer said though the programme for the welfare of senior citizens of the most backward districts of the province was launched during the MMA government in 2006, but Torghar was not included in the scheme because of its tribal status then.

He said that an awareness drive to reach to every senior citizen in the far off and highly difficult areas in the district had been launched.Mr Ahmad said that he was expecting a large number of senior citizens to apply for the stipend as they had meager resources of income.

The official said his department was also working for betterment and welfare of women. He said as literacy rate among women of the new district was almost zero and women staff, working in health, education and other departments came from other parts of the province.

He said his department had demanded Rs18 million for construction of women hostel in Torghar to accommodate the working women.

LAID TO RES11 The nephew of Supreme Court judge Justice Ijaz Afzal Khan, who was killed by a stray bullet on Saturday night, was laid to rest here on Sunday.

City police told reporters that the family of Fateh Ali Tippu, 20, had not lodged any case.

Lawyers, politicians and people from different walks of life attended the funeral prayers held on Shinkiari road.-Correspondent