TIMERGARA: The building of the sub-divisional bar association, Chakdara, collapsed due to heavy rain and windstorm here on Sunday night, lawyers told journalists on Monday. They said the building caved in due to use of substandard material.

Gul Munir, the bar`s general secretary, said books, furniture and other valuables were ruined in the incident. He said the building was constructed during the current year with a cost of Rs2.5 million under the UNDP assistance. He demanded of the government to take notice of the matter and initiate inquiry against the contractor.

IT LAB OPENS: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Finance Muzafar Syed on Monday said the students should equip themselves with the knowledge of science and technology.

He was addressing inaugural ceremony of an IT laboratory at government high school, Mian Banda.

He said it was the age of science and technology and only those nations could compete in the world, which made advances in the field.

The minister said more than 40,000 teachers were recruited purely on merit, adding hundreds of schools were provided with solar system and IT labs in the province.

He said the people of Dir started focusing on education of their children and saw development af ter end to the rule of `Nawab of Dir` in the 60s.

He said Rs3 billion had been approved for the Timergara medical college and Rs30 million for upgradation of Timergara hospital.

Mr Syed said the JI lawmakers had completed several mega projects like the Balambat irrigation channel, construction of bridges and roads. He called upon the people to impart quality education to their children as it was key to the nation`s development.