Man guns down female relative
One Ali Gohar Ghunio shot dead his paternal cousin in Sher Ghunio village of Kandhkot-Kashmore district on Saturday, February 20. The suspect promptly fled after committing the crime. Police shifted the body to the Kandhkot Civil Hospital for an autopsy and then later surrendered it to the heirs.
Security forces must vacate schools: Swat jirga
Elders from the Azikhel, Jinkikhel and Matorizi areas on Saturday met at a jirga in Khwazakhela in the Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, demanded that the federal and provincial governments to remove the presence of security forces in government schools as peace has been restored in the valley.
During militant insurgency in the area, government buildings hand been commandeered by security forces. Although most of these structures have been vacated, others such as the Government Girls Degree College in Khwazakhela, a boys hostel in Matta and an elementary college in Barikot are still being used by military personnel.
Tribal students overjoyed with 4G services
Jazz launches 3G and 4G services in South Waziristan border areas a month after Prime Minister Imran Khan assured provision of quality internet in the region.
The tribal areas have been bereft of access to high-speed and quality internet due to lack of infrastructure, and a deliberate policy of restricting internet to obstruct communications between insurgent groups.
However, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting emergency lockdown measures in 2020, Pakistan education institutions were forced to switch to online systems to avoid a possible academic gap. Students in rural and less-developed regions, particularly the tribal belt and border settlements, were unable to attend online classes due to lack of quality internet in their area.
Students and residents in South Waziristan had staged weeks-long sit-ins outside the Wana Cantonment demanding immediate provision of high-speed 3G and 4G services in mid-2020. In February 2021, these services have finally reached the tribal region, and students have expressed their relief and gratitude to be able to attend online classes without worry.
Although high-speed internet services are still to reach some homes and communities, work is underway to repair towers and lay more connections.
