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| April 20, 2003 | Sunday | Safar 17, 1424 |
Growers of poppy demand compensation
QUETTA, April 19: Armed tribesmen demanding compensation for their destroyed poppy crop on Saturday refused to vacate their positions on hilltops in the Gulistan area and vowed to resist the operation launched by the Anti-Narcotics Force and the Frontier Constabulary (FC).
The government has sent more FC troops in view of the tension. The FC inspector-general and other officials of the law enforcement agencies visited the area.
Sources said negotiations between tribal elders and government authorities continued for several hours but remained inclusive.
The FC and the ANF were facing difficulties in continuing the operation against poppy due to resistance by the armed tribesmen.
FC personnel and tribesmen exchanged fire but no casualty was reported.
Sources claimed that the forces destroyed some more poppy crop.
An FC official told Dawn that the demands presented by the elders had nothing to do with the force.
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