posted in dawn
KOHAT, May 18: The government started discreet negotiations through religious clerics with the deputy chief of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan for the rehabilitation of Sikh families, evicted from Orakzai Agency, sources said.
About 35 Sikh families were forced to leave their permanent abodes in Feroze Khel area of Orakzai Agency after Taliban burnt their houses and looted their shops. Taliban had imposed Jazia (tax) on Sikh community for being non-Muslims living in an Islamic state for the protection of their lives and property.
The community failed to raise Rs15 million by April 29 after which their houses were attacked. But they had left the area before the attack. Thirteen Sikh families were still living in Merozai area of lower Orakzai Agency on the land possessed by Shia community where the TTP had no control.
A high placed source confided to Dawn on Monday that tribal administration on the directives of federal government had assigned the task of holding peace talks with the deputy chief of TTP, Hakeemullah Mehsud.
They would make efforts to pave the way for rehabilitation of Sikh families in the area where they had been living for centuries. The source declined to disclose the names of clerics involved in the talks and said that meetings were going on peacefully.
He said that the displaced Sikh families were willing to come back. After getting orders for payment of Jazia the Sikhs had already raised Rs12 million and just requested for one more day to collect the amount.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Rockets attack at Kohat Cantonment
Posted in Dawn
Kohat: Militants fired four rockets at Kohat Cantonment from the mountains of Darra Adamkhel damaging a courtroom and a house on late Sunday night.
Police said that a rocket damaged the wall of an office in the district courts without exploding, while another landed near the Army Training Centre. Another rocket damaged a house in Ghulam Banda, while the fourth one exploded near the Airbase on Kohat bypass close to the railway track, police added.
Police said that no casualty was caused as a result of the rocket attack.
Kohat: Militants fired four rockets at Kohat Cantonment from the mountains of Darra Adamkhel damaging a courtroom and a house on late Sunday night.
Police said that a rocket damaged the wall of an office in the district courts without exploding, while another landed near the Army Training Centre. Another rocket damaged a house in Ghulam Banda, while the fourth one exploded near the Airbase on Kohat bypass close to the railway track, police added.
Police said that no casualty was caused as a result of the rocket attack.
Five killed in Darra Adamkhel
posted in dawn
KOHAT, May 18: A Taliban commander and four other militants were killed during a clash with security forces in Babozi area of Darra Adamkhel on Monday.
According to sources, men in a car signalled to stop at a checkpost in Babozai started firing on troops and tried to escape. The troops returned fired, killing the five militants, including Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan’s commander Bilal.
Meanwhile, two suspected militants were arrested when security personnel checked vehicles near Darra Adamkhel. Ten other suspected terrorists were held during a search operation in villages on the Bannu road. The suspects were from Kurram and Oarkzai agencies and Hangu and seven of them were Afghans. Two Kalashnikovs, three repeaters, two shotguns and four pistols were seized.
KOHAT, May 18: A Taliban commander and four other militants were killed during a clash with security forces in Babozi area of Darra Adamkhel on Monday.
According to sources, men in a car signalled to stop at a checkpost in Babozai started firing on troops and tried to escape. The troops returned fired, killing the five militants, including Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan’s commander Bilal.
Meanwhile, two suspected militants were arrested when security personnel checked vehicles near Darra Adamkhel. Ten other suspected terrorists were held during a search operation in villages on the Bannu road. The suspects were from Kurram and Oarkzai agencies and Hangu and seven of them were Afghans. Two Kalashnikovs, three repeaters, two shotguns and four pistols were seized.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Two drown in Karak
posted in news
KARAK. Two persons drowned Saturday in Changhoz Dam located in Karak district. Sources said Saeedullah, resident of Tangazana, and Muhammad Ishaq from Paloski, had come to the dam area on a picnic along with their friends. Saeedullah and Muhammad Ishaq drowned while swimming in the reservoir. Rescue workers pulled out their bodies from the water after hectic efforts.
KARAK. Two persons drowned Saturday in Changhoz Dam located in Karak district. Sources said Saeedullah, resident of Tangazana, and Muhammad Ishaq from Paloski, had come to the dam area on a picnic along with their friends. Saeedullah and Muhammad Ishaq drowned while swimming in the reservoir. Rescue workers pulled out their bodies from the water after hectic efforts.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Four militants killed in clash
Posted in Dawn
KOHAT, May 14: Four militants were killed in a clash with security forces in Torkhel area on Thursday following an attack on a military convoy in Darra Adamkhel.
A civilian woman was also killed in crossfire. Troops, meanwhile, demolished the headquarters of militant commander Momin Khan and arrested 16 terrorists during a clean-up operation, a military source told this correspondent. Two other militants were detained in Spina Thana. A 10kg bomb was found in their possession.
Troops entered Akhorwal, Sannikhel, Shpalkiwal, Babozai and Bostikhel in the semi-autonomous frontier region of Kohat after cordoning off the entire area.
The administration closed the Friendship Tunnel and Indus Highway for several hours and diverted traffic to Nizampur road.The purpose of the operation is to stop attacks on Kohat cantonment and security forces in Darra Adamkhel.
KOHAT, May 14: Four militants were killed in a clash with security forces in Torkhel area on Thursday following an attack on a military convoy in Darra Adamkhel.
A civilian woman was also killed in crossfire. Troops, meanwhile, demolished the headquarters of militant commander Momin Khan and arrested 16 terrorists during a clean-up operation, a military source told this correspondent. Two other militants were detained in Spina Thana. A 10kg bomb was found in their possession.
Troops entered Akhorwal, Sannikhel, Shpalkiwal, Babozai and Bostikhel in the semi-autonomous frontier region of Kohat after cordoning off the entire area.
The administration closed the Friendship Tunnel and Indus Highway for several hours and diverted traffic to Nizampur road.The purpose of the operation is to stop attacks on Kohat cantonment and security forces in Darra Adamkhel.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
10 killed in Darra suicide attack
Posted in Dawn
May 12, 2009
KOHAT: A suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden vehicle near an FC checkpost in the outskirts of Darra Adamkhel on Monday, killing eight civilians and two security personnel and injuring 27 other people.
A passenger van going to Peshawar from Kohat bore the brunt of the attack, coming between the FC checkpost and the suicide bomber’s pick-up at the time of the attack. The injured, 14 FC personnel and 13 passengers of the van, were taken to the Lady Reading Hospital and Combined Military Hospital in Peshawar.
Security personnel cordoned off the area and stopped traffic on the Indus Highway. The highway was re-opened after about two hours. The bomb disposal squad, intelligence teams and military officers reached the place and supervised rescue operation.
A number of trucks and lorries were also damaged in the attack. Investigation teams collected evidence to determine the type and quantity of the explosives used in the attack, parts of the vehicle and remains of the bomber.
Sources said that intelligence agencies had reports that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud’s commander in Orakzai Agency, Hakeemullah Mehsud, had sent his bombers to Kohat last month to attack sensitive installations and one of them hit an army convoy in Hangu, killing 21 security personnel and two civilians.
The sources also said that there were reports that a suicide bomber had entered Kohat to attack security installations, but the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan targeted the FC checkpost. Security has been tightened across Kohat and law-enforcement agencies have erected walls around headquarters of the IXth division in famous Durrani Fort and fortified all checkposts.
Meanwhile, several people were injured when a rocket fired by militants from Darra Adamkhel exploded near Afghan refugee camp in Kohat.
May 12, 2009
KOHAT: A suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden vehicle near an FC checkpost in the outskirts of Darra Adamkhel on Monday, killing eight civilians and two security personnel and injuring 27 other people.
A passenger van going to Peshawar from Kohat bore the brunt of the attack, coming between the FC checkpost and the suicide bomber’s pick-up at the time of the attack. The injured, 14 FC personnel and 13 passengers of the van, were taken to the Lady Reading Hospital and Combined Military Hospital in Peshawar.
Security personnel cordoned off the area and stopped traffic on the Indus Highway. The highway was re-opened after about two hours. The bomb disposal squad, intelligence teams and military officers reached the place and supervised rescue operation.
A number of trucks and lorries were also damaged in the attack. Investigation teams collected evidence to determine the type and quantity of the explosives used in the attack, parts of the vehicle and remains of the bomber.
Sources said that intelligence agencies had reports that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud’s commander in Orakzai Agency, Hakeemullah Mehsud, had sent his bombers to Kohat last month to attack sensitive installations and one of them hit an army convoy in Hangu, killing 21 security personnel and two civilians.
The sources also said that there were reports that a suicide bomber had entered Kohat to attack security installations, but the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan targeted the FC checkpost. Security has been tightened across Kohat and law-enforcement agencies have erected walls around headquarters of the IXth division in famous Durrani Fort and fortified all checkposts.
Meanwhile, several people were injured when a rocket fired by militants from Darra Adamkhel exploded near Afghan refugee camp in Kohat.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Militants fire rockets at Kohat Cantonment
Posted in Dawn
May 10, 2009
Kohat: Militants fired two rockets at Kohat Cantonment on Saturday. The rockets landed in Shiekhan and Happy Valley without causing any damage.
Police said that the first rocket hit Sheikhan road, an area close to military installations. Another rocket exploded in STC Ground of the army in Happy Valley.
However no damage was caused by both the rockets. Security forces also retaliated with artillery fire and targeted suspected hideouts of militants in Darra Adamkhel mountains.
May 10, 2009
Kohat: Militants fired two rockets at Kohat Cantonment on Saturday. The rockets landed in Shiekhan and Happy Valley without causing any damage.
Police said that the first rocket hit Sheikhan road, an area close to military installations. Another rocket exploded in STC Ground of the army in Happy Valley.
However no damage was caused by both the rockets. Security forces also retaliated with artillery fire and targeted suspected hideouts of militants in Darra Adamkhel mountains.
Suspected terrorist arrested in Gumbat
Posted in Dawn
May 10, 2009
Kohat: Police claimed to have arrested a suspected terrorist with explosives during an operation in Gumbat area of Kohat on Saturday.
Police said that they recovered two detonators, four metres long cord and a pistol from the possession of the accused identified as Mohammad Zahid.
Police handed him over to the investigation department. He was carrying dynamites and bomb making equipment with him, they said.
The Gumbat police registered a case against the accused, and started investigations.
May 10, 2009
Kohat: Police claimed to have arrested a suspected terrorist with explosives during an operation in Gumbat area of Kohat on Saturday.
Police said that they recovered two detonators, four metres long cord and a pistol from the possession of the accused identified as Mohammad Zahid.
Police handed him over to the investigation department. He was carrying dynamites and bomb making equipment with him, they said.
The Gumbat police registered a case against the accused, and started investigations.
Missing DIG Kohat found
Posted in Dawn
May 10, 2009
Kohat: The DIG of Kohat region, who went missing on Friday morning, was found after 17 hours in Abbottabad where he had gone to spend four days to relieve tension, police clarified on Saturday.
The DIG could be contacted at 2am. He told Dawn by telephone from Abbottabad that he realised that his mistake had led to a serious problem when he heard news about his kidnapping on TV channels. To a question, he said that he wanted to spend few days in seclusion to take some rest after hectic duty. He said that he had informed the NWFP IGP before going on leave.
The confusion was caused because the DIG had turned off both his mobile phones and did not inform his staff about the exact location of vacations.
The DIG, Mohammad Idrees Khan, left Kohat in morning on Friday and told his staff that he was going to his home in Mardan but instead he went to Abbottabad, sources said.
Police high-ups contacted all his relatives and friends in Peshawar and other parts of the province but they expressed ignorance about his whereabouts. This led the officers to believe that he had been kidnapped.
May 10, 2009
Kohat: The DIG of Kohat region, who went missing on Friday morning, was found after 17 hours in Abbottabad where he had gone to spend four days to relieve tension, police clarified on Saturday.
The DIG could be contacted at 2am. He told Dawn by telephone from Abbottabad that he realised that his mistake had led to a serious problem when he heard news about his kidnapping on TV channels. To a question, he said that he wanted to spend few days in seclusion to take some rest after hectic duty. He said that he had informed the NWFP IGP before going on leave.
The confusion was caused because the DIG had turned off both his mobile phones and did not inform his staff about the exact location of vacations.
The DIG, Mohammad Idrees Khan, left Kohat in morning on Friday and told his staff that he was going to his home in Mardan but instead he went to Abbottabad, sources said.
Police high-ups contacted all his relatives and friends in Peshawar and other parts of the province but they expressed ignorance about his whereabouts. This led the officers to believe that he had been kidnapped.
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