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Monday, August 29, 2011

Accident keeps Indus Highway blocked for five hours

Source The News

The Indus Highway remained blocked for five hours after a collision between a trailer and a truck, creating problems for the people travelling between Peshawar and Kohat. Long queues of vehicles were seen on both sides of the road. The commuters found it difficult to get to their destinations.

A person sustained injuries in the collision on the Indus Highway in Darra Adamkhel. Eyewitnesses said the trailer (TLA-449) rammed into the truck (C2313) at Abbas Chowk, leaving its driver, whose name could not be ascertained, injured.

Meanwhile, residents in Darra Adamkhel have asked the authorities to help rebuild the bridges blown up by the militants. They said the destroyed bridges also contributed to the traffic snarls as the people could not take alternative routes in case of the blockage of the Indus Highway due to traffic accidents.

Freed miners still trapped in Tirah

Source Dawn

Four miners, who were kidnapped from Darra Adamkhel along with their 12 colleagues, have been released from kidnappers but they are still trapped in Tirah valley of Khyber Agency owing to blockade of routes in the tribal region, according to sources.
They said that the kidnapped miners were released from the custody of their captors by a tribal lashkar of Kokikhel on August 17. “They are still in the protection of Kokikhel tribe but they cannot be shifted to Peshawar as it is feared that warring militant
groups may kidnap them again,” sources said.
The 12 other kidnapped miners were released few days ago after reportedly payment of huge ransom. The trapped miners include Fazl-i-Haq, Raheemullah, Bakhzada and Taimoor Khan. Their unconditional release is attributed to an operation conducted by Kokikhel tribe in Tirah valley against militants.
The arrival of the victims to their homes was being delayed owing to several reasons, sources said, adding they had been taken far deep into Tirah valley unlike their 12 other colleagues.
“Now they cannot be brought back to Darra Adamkhel or Peshawar through Bara due to safety reasons. There are several armed groups that can try to kidnap them again,” said tribal elders. The elders of Kokikhel tribe have decided to take the released miners to Afghanistan and bring them back through Torkham border to Peshawar and hand them over to government.
It may be recalled that Tariq Afridi group of Taliban Pakistan had allegedly abducted 16 miners from Akhorwal area of Darra Adamkhel on the night of June 10 and whisked them away to remote Tirah valley.
Twelve of the victims were released after 67 days of captivity following successful negotiations among militants, mine owners and Kokikhel elders. The released miners were found in the same place from where they had been kidnapped in Darra Adamkhel. The Kokikhel elders negotiated on behalf of the victims with Tariq Afridi group and also destroyed some of his camps in Tirah valley, according to local sources.
The political administration of Darra Adamkhel, however, told Dawn that all the 16 abducted miners had been released and sent to their homes in Shangla district.Later, it was said that four of kidnapped miners had been freed by militants in Khyber Agency and they would reach their homes within 24 hours. But they are still in Khyber Agency.

Kidnappers kill ex-army officer, cop in Kohat

Source Dawn

Unidentified persons killed a retired army officer after kidnapping him at gunpoint from Defence Colony here on Saturday.
A policeman was killed and two others, including an assistant sub-inspector, were injured during exchange of fire with the kidnappers when they tried to stop their car at Dhoda Chowk.
Eyewitnesses and police said that Col (retired) Shakeel Ahmed Tariq was going to mosque to offer morning prayers when few armed men came in a car and kidnapped him at gunpoint.
The kidnappers also wrapped him in a black burqa, they said, adding that the vehicle was bearing a fake registration number, Islamabad-850.
They said that the armed men tried to whisk away the retired officer to some unspecified place through Dhodha route. They reached Indus Highway Indus Highway but a patrolling vehicle stopped their car as the entire city was sealed after police control room informed law enforcers about the incident.
The kidnappers opened indiscriminate firing at the police patrolling vehicle and killed a constable identified as Amjid Ali Shah. Sub-inspector Chinar Gul and constable Adnan were injured in the incident.
The injured policemen were rushed to KDA hospital for treatment.
After some time police rescue teams started search operation in the area and found the abandoned vehicle of kidnappers at Zero Point on Indus Highway. Police found a dead body wrapped in a burqa in the rear seats of the car.
The family members confirmed that the dead body was of retired kidnapped colonel.
The assassinated retired officer was scheduled to go to Dubai through a flight at 10am on Saturday to meet his family members. His funeral will be held at 10am here on Sunday.
The funeral prayers for the killed constable, a resident of Mandoori village of Kohat, were offered in Kohat Police Lines. Kohat DIG and DPO laid floral wreaths at the coffin of the constable.
Colonel (retired) Shakeel Ahmed Tariq of armoured corps of Pakistan Army had served as president of Inter-Services Selection Board (ISSB) for eight years.
He also served in Military Intelligence as a major. Presently he was running a private academy for imparting training to boys to qualify tests of ISSB.
He was the son of Major (retired) Jalil Shah and brother of Nadra provincial director Col (retired) Aqeel Ahmed. He left behind a window and four children, who are living in Dubai.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Angry protesters take Pesco officials hostage

Source Dawn

The infuriated consumers made three Pesco officials hostage along with their vehicle during a protest demonstration against loadshedding in Sherkot area here on Sunday.


The protesters also blocked Parachinar highway for more than three hours to every kind of traffic. However, they released the officials on the assurance of police that power transformer in the area would be repaired.

Police said that Sherkot people paid three times for repair of a faulty transformer and demanded installation of more transformers.

The protesters complained that Pesco officials were demanding money for repair of the transformer for fourth time. “They refused to repair the transformer when we declined to pay more money to them,” they alleged.

Police assured the protesters that the transformer would be repaired by Pesco and it would try to resolve the problem of low voltage.

In some parts of the city, electricity remained suspended for 20 hours owing to delay in replacement of faulty transformers.

The residents alleged that Pesco had made it a routine to demand hefty amount for repair and replacement of the transformers.

The SDO, when contacted on Saturday night, said that that emergency staff would be available on Sunday replace the transformers. The staff was replacing a transformer in the city and other would be changed on Sunday, he said.The Pesco staff came in the afternoon after 16 hours to Mohallah Sikandar Khan Shaheed to replace the damaged transformer, residents said.

They said they had to suffer in the extreme hot weather while fasting as a result of the delay.

“The Wapda team agreed to take the transformer for repairing and demanded Rs19,000 from us,” they said. However, after intervention of some influential people they promised to bring it back in the evening free of cost. But the transformer was not installed despite lodging several complaints with the said SDO till filing of this report. The transformer developed a fault around 9am on Saturday.

The people, who had generators, spend Rs1,000 on petrol to run them in absence of transformer for such a long time. The problem has caused acute shortage of drinking water in the city.

Sometime back, Pesco staff charged money for repair of a transformer from villagers of Muhammadzai area and even then replaced it after five days.

Earlier, the transformers used to be stocked at divisional headquarters but due to unknown reasons the government decided to dump them at the main workshop in Nowshera.

Now, in case of immediate replacement, officials prefer to repair transformers at a private workshop with consumers’ money instead of sending them to Nowshera as it can take at least three days.

“The politicians have make things worst by making announcements about provision of electricity to the remotest areas of their constituencies to get public support during elections,” consumers said.

They added that Wapda had installed poles and hundreds of new transformers but it could hardly provide electricity owing to power shortfall.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Cop shot dead in Kohat

Source The News

A cop was killed and another sustained injuries when militants opened fire on a police party near the New Bus Terminal on Saturday evening, sources said.

The sources said that a Rider Squad of the Mills Area Police Post was on patrol when militants opened fire on it, killing Constable Basheer and injuring Constable Tanveer.

Following the incident, the police cordoned off the area but no arrest was reported yet.

Meanwhile, the police found a body in the waiting room of the Bus Terminal here on Saturday.

The sources said that acting on a tip-off, the police reached the spot and took the body of Ashraf Khan, son of Khani and resident of Mianwali district, into custody. The police also found a pistol near the body and it was presumed that the man committed suicide.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Doctor kidnapped in Kohat

Source Dawn

Unidentified armed men kidnapped a doctor along with his driver at gunpoint in Lachi town of the district on Thursday.
The driver was, however, recovered and a kidnapper was injured in encounter with police during search operation in the area. The car of the doctor was also found abandoned near a dam.
According to a statement issued by the district police officer, Dr Javed Ali Shah was still missing and efforts were underway  for his safe recovery.
Officials said that exchange of fire took place in Ghurzandi area and one of the kidnappers identified as Ahmed Niaz, a resident of North Waziristan, was arrested by police in injured condition.
The operation, launched for recovery of kidnapped doctor, was suspended due to darkness and would be resumed in the morning.
Police said that Dr Javed was going to regional health centre for duty with his driver Gul Sahib in his car bearing registration number ID-780 when unidentified persons stopped them and took them away at gunpoint.
Later, District Police Officer Mubarek Zeb Khan arrived at the scene along with police force and launched a search operation in the mountainous region for recovery of kidnapped persons.
They found the car abandoned near Darmalak Dam which was taken into custody and all possible routes of the kidnappers were sealed.
Officials said that it was not possible to trace the kidnapped persons in Lachi town because it was surrounded by mountains.
A health technician was also kidnapped from his quarter near a basic health centre in Dodi Banda in the limits of Lachi police few days ago. He had not been recovered.
Police said that Ghurzandi area of Lachi was infested with criminals and militants and their main source of earning was robberies and kidnappings for ransom.
In the past several operations had been conducted by army and police to flush out criminals from the area but they came back after some time because it was considered a safe route to tribal areas of North and South Waziristan agencies.
Meanwhile, three persons were injured when their rivals opened fire at their car near Rawalpindi Interchange on Thursday.
A car bearing registration number MNP-6521 was coming from Peshawar when four armed men opened fire at it near the interchange on Indus Highway. Bakhtiar, Roman and Zawar Khan sustained bullet injuries in the incidents. They were shifted
to KDA hospital for treatment.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Militants free Darra miners after 67 days

Source Dawn

The miners, who had been kidnapped from Akhorwal area of Darra Adamkhel, were released by their captors after 67 days.
The political administration, soon after kidnapping of 16 miners, had declared that they were not being kept in Darra Adamkhel. It had also constituted a jirga to negotiate a deal with the kidnappers for safe release of abducted miners.
Officials were tight-lipped about disclosing the contents of the agreement between the jirga of mine owners and the abductors that led to release of the kidnapped miners.
Reliable sources confided to Dawn that 12 of the miners were released in Akhorwal area of Darra Adamkhel while four of them would be freed from Khyber Agency on Wednesday. “The release was made possible through a deal reached between the local commander of Taliban and mine owners,” they said.
Officials said that 12 miners had reached their homes in Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while remaining four would be sent to their homes soon after their release.
The tribesmen believed that the victims were abducted by Taliban and taken to Khyber Agency.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Petty dispute claim life in Kohat

Source Pakistan Observer

One person was killed over a petty dispute in Jangal Khel area of District Kohat on Saturday.

According to detail, there was old property dispute between the two groups which resulting killing of Haji Gul when he was coming out from his house situated in village Dare Nalayain of Jangal Khel, District Kohat. Haji Gul was killed on the stop in the jurisdiction of Police Station Jangal Khel, Kohat while two accused mentioned in the FIR Sattar Khan and Sardar Khan, made their escape from the scene.

One killed as shell hits house in Darra Adam Khel

Source The News

A man was killed and seven other persons sustained injuries when mortar shells fired by the militants hit houses in the Akhorwal area in Darra Adamkhel on Wednesday, official sources said. The sources said militants fired 25 mortar shells at the Atariwal village in Akhorwal area. One of the shells hit a house, killing Lal Faqir. Seven other persons sustained critical injuries in the attack. Some of the injured were identified as Muhammad Iqbal and Dr Shahid Khan. Security forces targetted the hideouts of the militants in the hilly area of Khormatang village but there were yet no reports of casualties.

Orakzai, Kurram IDPs start settling in Kohat

Source Dawn

Accusing the provincial government of discrimination, several non-governmental organisations have critcised the double standards being followed while taking care of more than 546,000 internally displaced persons from Orakzai and Kurram Agencies living in Kohat since 2007.
The government established camps and provided regular food for Swat and Malakand IDPs when military operations were launched there but no camp was set up in Kohat for the people migrating from Orakzai, Kurram and Hangu, they alleged.
According to official record, 23,000 families have been displaced from lower Orakzai and 55,000 from upper Orakzai owing to fighting between security forces and militants. They are residing in different areas of Kohat. The report said that 9,944 registered families, consisting of 69,608 individuals, left Sadda tehsil of Kurram Agency for safer places recently. More than 300 displaced families of Kurram Agency have also settled in Kohat.
Ziaullah Khan Bangash, the managing director of an NGO, told Dawn that the Provincial Disaster Management Cell did not
provide proper tents and food to those displaced persons despite their repeated reminders.
“Our request for shifting of all household items and tents, given to Swat IDPs, to Kohat has also been turned down,” he added.
He said that IDPs in Kohat and Hangu were not provided with relief items and food even before the start of the holy month of
Ramazan. “The enthusiasm of local philanthropists, who generously provide food and money especially during Ramazan, is also dying down with the passing of time,” he said.
Mr Bangash alleged that relevant departments were not utilising their funds according to the requirements of needy people.
“In Hangu district, where camps have been established for IDPs unlike Kohat, the affected people have been protesting lack of medicines, food and gas for the last one year,” he added.
He said that after the twin suicide attacks on a registration centre in Kacha Pakha area of Kohat on April 17, 210, IDPs were entering Kohat without registration.
“There is no functional registration point in Kohat at present and IDPs from FR Kohat, Hangu, Orakzai and Kurram are entering Kohat freely,” he said.
Most of these IDPs have bought properties and settled in Jarma, Muhammadzai permanently as they have little hope of returning to their hometowns.
Mr Bangash said that 21,000 families returned to Orakzai Agency in three phases but they were again fleeing the restive region.
The government had told tribesmen in March 2010 when the operation was launched that Orakzai Agency would be cleared of
militants within one year but clashes were intensifying there, he added.
An official, on condition of anonymity, said that three families were entering Kohat from the frontier region and other tribal parts every day. “These new colonies of tribesmen need police stations and mobile vehicles to monitor their activities but the
government has limited resources,” he said.
The exodus of IDPs has resulted in population explosion in Kohat, putting extra burden on local transport and educational institutions.
“There is need for special centres to provide counselling to displaced children and rid them of the bitter memories of violence,” said a displaced tribesman.

Ex-nazim, 5 others held for attack on Lachi police

Source Dawn

A local court here on Wednesday remanded former union council nazim of Lachi tehsil and his five supporters in police custody for two days for attacking the police station.
The ex-nazim, Fawad Khan, and his relative Sohail had forcibly entered the Lachi police station to get his relative released after he was arrested on unspecified charges late on Tuesday night. According to reports, they had also exchanged hot words with the station house officer and other policemen and resorted to firing in the air.
Meanwhile, the people of the area surrounded the police station and pelted stones at the police as a result of which SHO Khanullah and two policemen received injuries. Some accused in the police lockup also got injured in the fighting.
The protesters later blocked the Indus Highway and demanded the release of the suspect Hidayatullah. The police overpowered them and arrested Fawad, Manzoor, Waseem, Faisal, Abid and Nazeer for interfering in police affairs, firing, beating policemen and blocking the Indus Highway.
The elders of the area reached the police station and initiated talks with the police officers for the release of the nazim and his men, who are said to be influential landlords of the area. The negotiations continued for several hours, but the police high ups ordered that the accused should be arrested and proper FIR lodged against them. Later, the police registered cases against several people who had blocked the highway and raids were being conducted for their arrest

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Man burns wife to death in Kohat

Source Dawn

A man on Tuesday allegedly burnt to death his wife after having a brawl with her in Mir Ahmed Khan here and fled.
The police said Fayyaz who was married to Madeeha two years back had very tense relation with his wife and used to beat her.
On Tuesday he sprinkled kerosene oil on her and burnt her to death. He tried to burry her without post mortem but his in-laws got suspicious and took the body to hospital for autopsy. Doctors confirmed that she had been burnt to death and had not died a natural death. The police registered murder case against Fayyaz and launched investigations.

MOL, OGDCL provide soft loan of Rs 700m

Source Pakistan Observer

Managing Director MOL Pakistan, Erno Liptak said that OGDCL and MOL have provided Rs.700 million soft loan to the National Highway Authority (NHA) for the early completion of new Khushal Garh Bridge.

Talking to media, he said that the joint venture partners were glad that the dream for a new Khushal Garh bridge on the River Indus would become a reality in the near future, said a press release issued here.

He said each infrastructure project not only creates new jobs, but also opens up new opportunities for economic development.

“The new bridge will provide quicker and easier access for the people traveling between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab through Kohat Road on one hand and on the other it will help further enhance oil and gas exploration activities in the area.” He said that they are glad to be a part of this project of significant economic and strategic importance for Pakistan.

New Khushalgarh bridge to bring prosperity: Alamgir

Source The News

Federal Minister for Communications Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan Khalil said Thursday that the construction of new bridge at Khushalgarh will bring a new era progress and prosperity in the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He expressed these views while addressing a public gathering on the occasion of ground breaking ceremony of the bridge performed by Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani. The minister in his address said that this 373 meters long bridge will be a two-lane bridge which can be converted into four lanes in future to accommodate the traffic pressure. He said this Rs24 billion project will be completed in 24 months, and MOL Pakistan and OGDCL will provide assistance to the National Highway Authority (NHA) in this project.

Arbab Alamgir said after the discovery of oil and gas reserves in Kohat, this bridge will be of importance in transporting crude oil to Attock Oil Refinery. The minister said the present democratic government, which is moving forward with the vision of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, has launched development projects throughout the country without any discrimination.

He said that the completion of new two-lane Khushalgarh bridge will bring revolutionary changes in the area and not only the people of the area will benefit from it but it will also boost trade, tourism, industry and agriculture of the country.

PM’s Kohat public rally cancelled

Source Dawn

The public gathering arranged for Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani after the foundation stone-laying ceremony of new Khushalgarh Bridge on Thursday (today) at the farmhouse of Provincial Minister for Housing Amjad Khan Afridi in Kohat has been cancelled due to political rivalry, Dawn has learnt reliably.
Mr Amjad had invited the prime minister to his farmhouse at a lunch after inaugurating work on the new bridge. However, MNA Dilawar Shah strongly objected to the programme and took the plea that as the function was of federal government the prime minister should stay at his hurja for a lunch.
The foundation stone-laying ceremony of the new bridge would start at 9am on Thursday (today), according to the invitation cards issued on behalf of the housing minister. The lunch programme of the prime minister at the farmhouse mentioned in press cards had been removed with a black marker after the official cancellation of the programme.
Confusion prevailed here about the PM’s programme as both the political leaders issued invitations about the lunch to people at their respective places. Even they verbally told the people that they were hopeful that the gathering would be held in Kohat.
Both the MNA and the housing minister belonged to the ANP.
Some local leaders said that security and pressing engagements of the prime minister could be a reason for cancellation of the public meeting in Kohat.

Ministry decides payment of 5pc bonus for oil, gas producing areas

Source Pakistan Observer

Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources has decided to grant production bonus to those districts where oil and gas reserves have been discovered, said White Paper 2011-12 of the Finance Department Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for financial.

The funds will be spent through Petroleum’s Social Development Committees (PSDC) comprising MNAs Chairmen, MPAs Tehsil Taluka Nazims, district Nazim members, DCO (Secretary) of the district and two representative of the Exploration and Production (E&P) Company Member/ Vice Chairman.

Secretary of the PSDC (DSO) will open and administer a joint bank account with the title Petroleum’s Social Development Fund (PSDF), to be operated by District Coordination Officer and the Executive District Officer (EDO) Finance and Planning for the purpose of funding projects identified by the PSDC through the production bonus payable by the E&P Company.

All those E&P companies who are obligated to pay production bonus to the government for infrastructure development of the area will deposit the production bonus directly in the bank account of the Secretary (DCO) of the PSDF in consultation with the Director General, Petroleum Concessions (DGPC). The proceeds of first production bonus against Tal black of MOL was US $ 5,00,000 (Rs. 29.486 million), which had already been deposited in the account of DCO Karak and DCO Hangu during the year of 2008-09.

Second production bonus against the Tal Block of MOL was US $ one million (RS. 85.809 m), which had been deposited in the account of DCO Karak and Hangu amounting to Rs. 66.963 million and Rs.18.846 million respectively during the financial year 2010-11. Third bonus of US $ 1.5 million may become payable against the said block during next financial year of 2011- 12, the will be directly paid by the respective Exploration and Production (E& P ) company to the concerned Districts Governments under the existing guidelines of productions bonus.

The Provincial Government has also decided to transfer 5 per-cent shares of receipts on account of Oil and Gas receivable from Federal Government to the respective districts where well head of Oil and Gas are located. In this connection report of the committee headed by the Chief Secretary, KPK regarding utilization of 5 per sent share has been approved by the Provincial Cabinet. The said 5 per sent share will be over and above the size of District and Provincial ADP and will be utilized on Electricity, Supply of Gas, Education, Technical Education, Water Supply Schemes, Roads and Health facilities.

Utilization of 5 per cent share in the socio-economic condition of the area. For the financial year of 2010-11 a sum of Rs.225.185 has already been allocated and released to concern Districts i.e. Kohat and Karak as 5 per sent share of royalty on oil, gas Excise Duty on Natural Gas and Gas Development Surcharge. Moreover the last installment of Rs.42.071 million is also paid to Sui Northern Gas Pipeline from the provision of 5 per cent share from the current financial year for providing, gas facilities to the natives of the district Karak and Kohat which has approved by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources of the Federal Govt.

Beside Hydel resources, the Province of KPK has been blessed with large reserves of Oil and Gas. After 18th amendment Provincial Govt. has equal share with the Federal Govt. in all the forth coming production regarding Oil and Gas. Keeping in view the Eighteenth amendment Provincial Cabinet has given the approval of establishment of Oil and Gas Exploration Company. The company will be registered soon with the Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan and other relevant institutions.

After registration this company will be such as OGDCL, MOL and PPL in different blocks. In compliance with the decision of Peshawar High Court under Article 158 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, all the commercial undertakings like CNG etc in the Province are exempted from loadshedding.

Afghans, IDPs overstaying their hospitality

Source Dawn

The prolonged stay of Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons from tribal regions has created social and economic problems besides posing threat to peace of the district, locals complain.
The elders of internally displaced persons say that police ask them to submit personal guarantees that they will not indulge in terrorist activities during their stay in the district, but they have been refusing.
The locals said that prolonged stay of IDPs had resulted in increase in rents of houses, land and shops besides creating joblessness in the area.
On the other hand, IDPs, once welcomed by the locals with open heart, blame government for its failure in flushing out terrorists from their tribal agencies during the last several years.
The IDPs from Kurram and Orakzai agencies, Hangu district, Waziristan Agency, Darra Adamkhel, Malakand and Swat have been living in Kohat for the last four years. They have set up new settlements on Indus Highway by occupying or buying land from the local people.
Locals alleged that some of the IDPs joined militant groups and were creating law and order situation in the district.
“They have also converted University Road and Indus Road Bypass up to Zero Point into a no-go-area,” locals alleged.
Recently, police arrested a group of Taliban, allegedly involved in making suicide jackets and improvised explosive devices, from the area. An electricity transformer was also recovered from the house. Locals said that new seminaries and mosques were being built in the areas where IDPs lived.
Sources said that militants had also entered the district in the guise of IDPs and were posing threat to peace of the area.
In addition, there are thousands of Afghan refugees, who have permanently settled near the mountains of Darra Adamkhel and some parts of the city without any kind of restriction on their movement.
Some of the Afghan refugees have bought homes in the city and shops in the costly main bazaar. They have made huge investment in cloth, fruit and transport businesses besides establishing small factories of shoes and other outlets.
The officials concerned, when contacted, were unable to give accurate figures of IDPs living in the district. However, locals said that their number exceeded 200,000.
Owing to uncertain situation in the conflict zones, the IDPs are reluctant to go back to their homes. Same is the case with Afghans.

Taliban commander arrested in Kohat

Source Central Asia Online

A Taliban militant commander, Mata Mir, was arrested during a police encounter in Kohat June 10, media reported.

According to Express Tribune, police raided an area near Dhal Bhazadi and arrested the militant commander.

Mir belongs to Tehrik-e-Taliban and has been involved in several incidents of target killings and terrorism in the country, media added.

Militants kidnap 18 miners from Darra

Source Dawn

About 100 armed militants belonging to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacked heavily-guarded Darra Adamkhel and kidnapped 18 coalminers from Akhorwal area late on Friday night.
0fficials said that the TTP of Tariq Afridi group, which supports Hakeemullah Mehsud, penetrated into the area in the night from Tora Chinna area, which connects Darra Adamkhel with Khyber Agency.
They abducted 26 miners some of whom were also armed. Some people showed resistance and fired at the militants and escaped from their custody, but 18 men were taken away to Khyber Agency.
The security forces and political administration learnt about the incident on Saturday morning and conducted a search operation for the recovery of the kidnapped miners, who were taken across the tribal borders by that time.
The coalmines were taken over by the armed lashkar of the area when the TTP started collecting monthly tax from the miners and asked them to stop providing any kind of assistance to the army or the political administration. The sources said that the TTP had been killing and kidnapping people of those tribes in the past, who ferried food and water to the security forces trenched in the high mountains.
They said that lashkar men had refused to fulfill their demands and challenged their atrocities in Darra Adamkhel. They said that the opponent Momin Khan Afridi group, which leads the lashkar, had been asking the TTP to end their terror in Darra and threats to the local parliamentarians and businessmen because they were innocent and could not afford to support any side.
The sources said that the TTP of Tariq Afridi tried to kill his opponent, Momin Afridi, and his commanders in a suicide attack at a mosque during Friday prayers in Atariwal area. But Momin Afridi was not present in the area on that day.
Later, the TTP in a telephonic message warned the tribesmen of Atariwal to stop supporting Momin Afridi otherwise more attacks would be conducted against his tribe. The Atariwal sub-tribe of Momin Afridi group lives in the main Akhorwal area of Darra Adamkhel from where 18 miners had been kidnapped.
Momin Khan Afridi group formed a parallel Islami Taliban Momin Afridi Group in 2008 to flush out the TTP.