KHAAR, Sept 2: Armed guards of a tribal chieftain manhandled Dawn’s correspondent in Bajaur Agency, Anwarullah Khan, on Tuesday.

An armed bodyguard, was sent by the tribal chief of Inayat Kallay, Nawabzada Mohammad Idrees Khan, for the coverage of a news briefing at his Hujra. When the reporter left his office along with the guard to attend the briefing, he was caught by three other guards of the tribal chieftain in the Inayat Kallay bazaar and roughed up.

Passers-by and personnel of Bajaur Levies reached the spot and rescued the journalist upon which the armed guards escaped.

The guard who was sent after the reporter has been identified as Ali Haider.

Sources said that the levies personnel had also identified one of the three guards who thrashed the journalist.

Anwarullah Khan lodged a report with the Khaar tehsildar, Mawaz Khan Afridi, who was reluctant to act.

However, two of them were arrested after the Tribal Union of Journalists, Bajaur, protested against the inaction of the political authorities.

Later, the TUJ members held a meeting and demanded the government to arrest the chieftain’s guards and punish them according to the law.

However, sources said that the political administration was reluctant to take action against the tribal elder’s men.