23 May 2004	Sunday	03 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

KHAAR (Bajaur Agency), May 22: The political administration of Bajaur Agency arrested a tribal elder and 10 others for demolishing shops at a business centre here on Friday.

Sources said a tribal elder, Malik Nawabzada Shamsuddin Khan, reached Siddiqabad bazaar along with his men and started demolishing shops to clear the site for the construction of a new market.

Area shopkeepers tried to resist their move and a clash broke out between the two sides. However, levies personnel reached the spot and brought the situation under control. They arrested Shamsuddin Khan and some of his men for taking the law into their hands. Eight shops were demolished in the attack.

Later, shopkeepers pulled down shutters to protest against demolition of shops. Traders in other parts of the agency also closed their shops to express solidarity with the protesting shopkeepers.

An official of the political administration told Dawn that the Malik would be fined according to the tribal traditions for violating the law.