July 4, 2003	Friday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 3,1424

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GILGIT, July 3: A heavy contingent of police and the Frontier Constabulary (FC) helped Senior Superintendent of Police Faizan Safdar 12 hours after his opponents in the Nomal village in Naltar Valley blocked the routes to stop him from coming here, police officials said.

Sources said the SSP had allegedly assaulted and suspended his driver Manzoor Hussain, resident of Nomal, over a petty quarrel on Monday.

When he was returning from Naltar on Wednesday, the police at Nomal informed him that the people of the village had blocked the roads to protest against the torture and suspension of the driver. The SSP returned to Naltar but some youngsters reportedly chased him.

People in Nomal burnt tyres in protest and over 500 FC and police personnel were called to deal with the situation.

Sources said the driver had accused Mr Safdar of insulting his sect.

Northern Areas Deputy Inspector-General of Police Haji Mir Afzal Khan, when contacted, said the issue had nothing to do with sectarianism and it was a personal feud.