KOHAT: Parliamentary Kashmir Committee chairman MNA Shehryar Afridi said on Wednesday that Chief Minister Mahmood Khanhadformallyapproved provision of all the required staff and machinery for the KDA divisional headquarters hospital in order to stop referral of patients to Peshawar.

He said that all the requirements of the hospital would soon be fulfilled as desired by the people of Kohat division.

Mr Afridi told mediapersons here that on the demand of a delegation headed by him the chief minister had also ordered the director general health to upgrade the basic health units and rural health centres of Ustarzai, Gumbat, Chorlakki, Bilitang and Shakardarra to categoryD hospitals.

The state minister said that the chief minister had promised the delegation from Kohat to accept demands of the people.

The social organisations demanding the facilities like burns centre, neurosurgery and equipment had started raising funds from the people in a drive launched last week.

However, after a meeting between them and the district administration the drive was postponed.

POLICE FUNCTION:Inspector General of Police Sanaullah Abbasi has said that it is the foremost duty of the police to defend the state and protect the life and property of the citizens.

He was speaking at the Pakistan Day function at the Police Training College (PTC), Hangu, the other day.

He said that the role of our forefathers in the Pakistan movement, its establishment and solidarity was like an illuminated pillar.

He later laid a floral wreath at the martyrs` monument and offered Dua for the departed souls.

ARRESTED: In a major crackdown against drug and arms smugglers, the police arrested three interdistrict carriers here on Wednesday.

According to details, the Ustarzai police stopped a van at Marai checkpost on Orakzai district road and recovered 4.4 kilogrammes of hashish from Ashfaq Ahmed and Syed Ali Hassan. Also, the police stopped a vehicle at City Pathak and recovered five kilogrammes of hashish from Umer Farooq of Mohammadzai village.

Meanwhile, the city police raided a shop in Bannu Bazaar and seized two repeaters, seven pistols and hundreds of cartridges.

The owner Ahmed Shah of Tanda Dam Banda was moved to the police station where a case of possessing illegal arms was filed.

In a similar case, the Jarma police stopped a vehicle coming from Darra Adamkhel and seized three pistols and cartridges from one Rasheed Khan of Rahim Yar Khan. A case has been registered against him.