MANSEHRA: A jirga on Wednesday warned that drug peddlers should abandon the illegal trade otherwise the local residents wouldn`t attend their social events, including funerals and marriage ceremonies.

The warning was issued during a meeting held in Baffa area here, where elders, clerics and local government representatives were in attendance.

The jirga also formed mohallah committees to inform it about drug dealers for action, and educate youths about the harms of using narcotics.

Elder Babu Anwar Khan praised the jirga for striving to eliminate narcotics trade from Baffa and said he was hopeful that the day was not far when there would be no drug peddler in the entire area.

`We all are committed to saving our next generations from the use of narcotics, he said. Elders Umar Zeb, Haji Mohammad Khan and Qari Imtiaz also said peaceful efforts to make Baffa narcotics-free would continue.

District councillor Aslam Khan, who was also in attendance, said many had abandoned the illegal drug trade and others would follow suit in the days ahead.

`We will continue our struggle until the last drug peddlermendshis ways,` he said.

Baffa SHO Shafigur Rehman, who showed up atthe invitation of jirga organisers, said the police had achieve success in the crackdown on drug trade in the area and would eliminate the illegal activity if the people continued to help and support it.

COUPLE KILLED: A man and his wife were 1(illed and their two children suffered critical injuries when a gunman from the rival party fired gunshots at them over a land dispute in Jabori area here on Wednesday.

Gunman Mohammad Bashir targeted Paristan, wife Marjan, son Babu Zaman and daughter Gohar Jan when they were cutting grass at a disputed piece of land, and fled.

Paristan and Marjan succumbed to injuries on the way to the main Shinl(iari hospital, while their children were referred to Ayub Medical Complex Abbottabad over critical condition.

The police said they had begun raids after registering FIR.

Also in the day, Mohammad Javed of Pulrah area was killed here over old enmity.

Family of the deceased named rival Mohammad Naeem as killer and insisted Mohammad Javed was 1(illed when he was returning from the district jail after seeing detained brother.

FOOD DISTRIBUTED: The Senator Mohammad Talha Mehmood Foundation on Wednesday distributed food packets among 400 deserving men and women here. JUI-F Senator Talha Mehmood gave away the `Ramazan Packets`, which carried ghee, rice, flour, dates, pulses and other kitchen items, to the deserving families.