LAKKI MARWAT: Elders and local government representatives of several rural localities warned on Friday that they along with the villagers would block the Indus Highway if power supply was not restored to their villages within next 24 hours.

After holding meetings with district administration and Pesco officials in Tajazai, they told journalists that power supply had been suspended to Kherukhel Pakka, Behraml(hel, Titterkhel, Ghaznikhel and other hamlets for last 10 days. `The electricity suspension has confronted the villagers with numerous problems, said Mashal Khan, and elder.

He said the rural population was also faced with shortage of water as tubewells could not run.

`The residents have no option but to boycott antipolio drives in such a situation when Pesco officials refuse to reduce loadshedding or restore power supply,` said Khalid Khan, another elder.

He said the district government and local administration were helpless to address power-related problems facing by rural population.

FRESH SOP ISSUED: The district police received fresh instructions to implement the standard operating procedure for safety of police stations and posts and use bulletproof jackets and hamlets during patrolling and at duty points.

The instructions were issued by district police officer Syed KhalidHamdani while speaking at police darbar on Friday.

The instructions were apparently issued in the wake of recent terror acts across the country.

The DPO said the SOP would be implemented in letter and spirit as there was no room for slackness on the part of policemen. He also asked the SHOs to make their respective police stations public-friendly, and provide maximum relief to the complainants.

: On the instructions of deputy commissioner Mohammad Bakhtiar Khan, the district boy scouts association held a Hifz-i-Qirat competition in Lal(l(i city on Friday. Students from schools and colleges and religious seminaries participated in the competition.

In the Hifz competition, Abdullah secured first position followe d by Mohammad Waseem and Ashraf Ali who bagged second and third, respectively, in the 1-30 para category. In the 1-20 para category, Saqib and Wajahat stood first and second, respectively; while Azizur Rehman remained first, Mohammad Illyas second and Samiullah third in the 1-10 para category.

Mohammad Zikria got first position in 1-5 para category with Mohammad Ibrahim and Wajidur Rehman bagging second and third spots, respectively.

In above15-year category of Husn-i-Qirat competition, Mohammad Haroon grabbed first position, and in below 15-year category, Shaukatullah secured first position. The position holders will participate in the 33rd national Hifz-o-Qirat competition at the provincial level.