September 28, 2003	Sunday	Sha’aban 1, 1424

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KHAAR (Bajaur Agency), Sept 27: Three officials of the Bajaur Scouts, who were arrested by the Afghan border security forces for alleged border violation last week, were set free on Saturday after a tribal jirga held successful negotiations with the administration of the Kunar province.

The three officials, Riazuddin, Adil Shah and Bakht Jehan, who were posted at a newly-established checkpoint along the border in the agency, had crossed over to the Afghan territory mistakenly while patrolling the area.

They were arrested by the Afghan border security forces, who whisked them to the Kunar province capital Assadabad.

The political administration of the Bajaur Agency had sent a tribal jirga to hold talks with the Afghan authorities for unconditional and safe release of the three officials.

The jirga, comprising tribal elite and elders of the Bajaur, held talks with the Afghan authorities for three days and effected the release of the scouts.

They were released on Saturday, sources said.

A spokesman for the Bajaur Scouts said that the scouts had been recently posted at a new checkpoint along the border and they had crossed over to the Afghan territory mistakenly as they did not know about the border demarcation in the mountainous area.

According to sources, the Kunar governor had apologized to the political authorities and the Bajaur Scouts for the arrest of the three officials by the Afghan forces.

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