November 7, 2003	Friday	Ramazan 11, 1424

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

WANA, Nov 6: Political authorities in the South Waziristan Agency on Thursday demolished houses of two tribesmen accused of sheltering Al Qaeda suspects.

The authorities said the demolition of houses belonging to Zarey Gul and Payo Jan, who had gone into hiding after the last month’s military crackdown, was followed by an agreement with the Qarikhel tribe.

Tribesmen had been accused of sheltering suspected members of Al Qaeda network in Baghar village where the Pakistan Army launched operation Al Mizan in October.

The deputy administrator of Wana, headquarters of the South Waziristan Agency, told a news briefing that the arrested tribesmen would be released and their property returned to them.

Some of the local chieftains, including Allah Khan and Engineer Shehzad, who were present on the occasion, pledged their allegiance to the government but denied that their tribe had sheltered any Al Qaeda suspect.

They said that despite the fact that the government had no proof against the tribesmen, they had offered their houses for demolitions just to show their sincerity.

The assistant political agent, Wana, told reporters that talks were also underway with the Yar Gulkhel tribe, adding that he hoped to hear something positive in this regard.