MANSEHRA: A policeman sustained critical injuries when a group of narcotics peddlers opened fire on a raiding party in the Kotkay Khatta area here on Sunday.

`As soon as the notorious drug peddlers saw a police team, they opened indiscriminate fire, seriously injuring one of our constables before fleeing the scene,` Amir Hussain, SHO of Saddar police station, told reporters on Sunday.

He added that the anti-narcotics drive launched by the district police officer earlier this month was in full swing.

The SHO said acting on a tip-off a police team raided the den of the drug peddlers, but instead of surrendering, the suspectsopened fire, leaving constable Mohammad Tahir seriously injured.

`The notorious drug dealers, Mohammad Owais and his brother Mohammad Ahsan, managed to escape after attacking the police,` he said.

The injured constable was rushed to King Abdullah Teaching Hospital, where his condition is reported to be stable.

SHO Hussain said that raids were underway across the district to apprehend the fleeing suspects and other narcotics dealers.

Meanwhile, the traffic police fined dozens of drivers of public transport vehicles for overcharging passengers.A team led by DSP Wajid Khan imposed fines on drivers of several vehicles after finding them guilty of overcharging.

`We have already devised a comprehensive action plan for Eid holidays. We will not allow public transporters to exploit passengers by charging extra fares under the pretext of a transport shortage,` said DSP Khan.

The police have also issued a strict warning against celebratory firing on Chand Raat, warning the violators will face severe legal action.

`Anyone found challenging the writ of the law by engaging in festive firing on Chand Raat willbe arrested and prosecuted under strict legal provisions,` a statementissued by the police said.

AWARENESS SESSION: The Election Commission of Pakistan has urged young people and women to exercise their right to vote and candidacy to bring significant change in their lives, particularly in the formerly tribal district of Torghar.

`You and local women voters can transform the social fabric by exercising their right to vote and candidacy,` district election commissioner Fareedullah Khan Khattak told an awareness session held in Hassanzai area of Torghar on Sunday.

Young people from different parts of the district attended the session and inquired about the process for registration of theirand their families` votes.

M Khattak said the election commission had launched an awareness campaign in the district to educate voters.

`We aim to increase the participation of women and young voters in the electoral process, and this could only be possible if you turn out at polling stations,` he said.

The district election commissioner said that Torghar was among the districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with a low women voter turnout.

He said young people were being encouraged to mobilise voters in their respective village councils and communities. Correspondent