SWABI: A handcuffed man survived a brazen attack when his rival allegedly opened fire on him on the premises of Chota Lahor tehsil courts, where he was brought for hearing into a murder case here on Tuesday.

`How the accused passed the security layers while taking the pistol and targeting his rival in police custody.

It was in fact a security lapse,` said a lawyer on condition of anonymity.

The police said assistant sub-inspector Gulzeb Khan and constables Kashif Khan and Ziaur Rehman were taking accused, Qasim Khan, Mukhtiar Khan and Fayyaz Ali, to the court of Additional Sessions Judge-II, Chota Lahor, Sayed Ali Raza.

They said as soon as they reached the opposite door of the court, a man started shooting at Fayyaz.

They said the attacker, Janab Ali of Yar Hussain, had a murder enmity with Fayyaz.

They said the man had hidden the pistol in a shawl he had thrown around his body.

The police later overpowered him and seized the pistol from him. An FIR was lodged against him in Chota Lahore city police station.

NO FUNDS: The local government representatives on Tuesday complained the Khyber Pakhtunkhawa government had not released funds for them during the last three years.

Talking to Dawn here, Ghulam Haqqani, Razaar tehsil mayor, who belongs to Awami National Party, claimed the government had provided financial help only to those mayors who belonged to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

`The government is not interested in strengthening the local body system to deliver according to people`s wishes at the grassroots level.

Topi tehsil mayor Rahim Jadoon said during a recent meeting with local government representatives of his own party here, provincial minister for local government Arshad Ayub asked them to impose new taxes to generate revenue.

`We cannot overburden our constituents with more taxes as it would have far-reaching impact on their politicalposition,`he said.Correspondent