Mortar shells seized, 4 held

posted in dawn



KOHAT, June 28: Police seized a van laden with huge quantity of mortar shells and other ammunition and arrested four alleged terrorists near Ustarzai here on Sunday.

DIG Abdullah Khan informed journalists at a briefing that the terrorists were taking the mortars and ammunition from Orakzai Agency to Hangu district for sabotage activities. They were arrested as soon as they entered the limits of Kohat, he said and added that the four terrorists belonged to Hangu and Orakzai but their names could not be revealed till the completion of operation for the arrest of their accomplices.

He claimed that the rest of the gang members would be arrested by night.

“There is no doubt that all heavy arms and ammunition was coming from tribal areas into the settled areas due to the weakening writ of the government there. If the terrorism has to be uprooted simultaneous clean up operation in all the tribal areas is the only solution,” he said.

He added that for that purpose the powers of the political agent would have to be revived so that administration could take strict action against the tribesmen involved in abetting terrorism and arms smuggling from Afghanistan.

The seizure from the terrorists included 47 mortars with fuses, 66 boxes of explosives, 15 mortar cartridges, one Kalashnikov, one shotgun and one 30 bore pistol. The mortars and ammunition was Chinese and Iranian made.

The accused would be presented in the court of law for remand on Monday.