LAKKI MARWAT: Three bullet-riddled bodies were found at two separate places here on Saturday, the police said.

Unidentified gunmen had shot dead the three men and dumped their bodies in fields, the police said, adding that residents spotted two bodies in the Asmatabad area and informed the Ghaznikhel police.

A contingent reached the venue and shifted the bodies to the District Headquarters Hospital.

They said another body was found in the Khaisorewala area within the limits of Shaheed Asmatullah Khan Khattak police station of Serai Naurang town. “The body was shifted to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital for postmortem.

The police initiated an investigation into the shooting incidents.

CHEQUES DISTRIBUTED: The wildlife department distributed research grant cheques to students and researchers of public sector varsities, including the University of Lakki Marwat, for promoting wildlife research under Special Game Reserve Project.

Project director Khan Malook Khan gave away the cheques to 14 students at a ceremony held at the wildlife office here on Saturday.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Malook said the department had invited research synopsis from the students of public sector universities for research projects related to wildlife, biodiversity, conservation of natural habitats, survival of rare species and science-based wildlife management under the ‘Support to Various Public Sector Universities for Wildlife-Based Research’ of the project.

Research proposals were received from various universities, he said, adding that a research proposal evaluation committee reviewed the proposals on the basis of scientific quality, practical utility, research innovation, and expected role in wildlife conservation, and recommended 14 students and researchers for research grants.

Mr Malook said that as per PC-I of the project, 50 per cent initial installment (mobilisation advance) cheques of the research grant were distributed to all selected researchers, while the remaining 50pc amount would be released after successful completion of the research work and submission of the final research report.

“A total of Rs1 million research grants have been approved, in which financial assistance is being provided to PhD, MPhil and BS students according to their educational level,” he said.

He said that scientific research was indispensable for wildlife conservation, effective management of biodiversity and policy making.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2026