01 August 2004	Sunday	14 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

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QUETTA, July 31: Three tribesmen belonging to the Awami National Party and a police head constable were killed and three others injured in an exchange of fire in Chaman late Friday night.

The clash between the police and the tribesmen began after the police arrested an ANP leader of the area in connection with a treason case.

Awami National Party (ANP) spokesman, while condemning the killing of the three party members and the arrest of Malik Jailani Khan Achakzai, Central Joint Secretary of the party in Chaman, stated that his party believed in non-violence but would not accept arrest and killing of the innocent people.

The spokesman claimed that the police on Friday midnight opened fire on the tribesmen, killing Shah Sawar Achakzai, Sadaullah Achakzai and Momin Achakzai besides injuring two others.

He claimed the head constable was killed in the firing of the police.

But police sources in Chaman asserted that armed tribesmen opened indiscriminate fire on the police party in Bogra Road, killing Head Constable of the Balochistan Reserves Police Abdul Rahim and injuring another constable. About civilian casualties, the police claimed they were killed by tribesmen's firing.

To protest the incident, a complete strike was observed by the people of the area on Saturday on the call of tribal elders to condemn the killing of the three tribesmen.

The angry people blocked the National Highway for some time, suspending vehicular traffic between Quetta and Chaman.

Similarly, a Chaman-bound passenger train was stopped near Shalabagh.

The spokesman said the administration had given them an assurance that the arrested leader would be released and the families of the victims would be paid Rs200,000 compensation for each victim.

After the negotiations the protestors ended their protest and the traffic was restored.