12 October 2004	Tuesday	26 Shaban 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 11: The military on Monday warned tribal militants and 'miscreants' to stop unprovoked attacks on security forces or be prepared for 'retaliatory attacks'.

An Inter-Service Public Relations press release issued against the backdrop of the kidnapping of two Chinese engineers said the retaliation "may take place in the manner the military commanders deem appropriate".

It regretted that the miscreants had repeatedly gone back on their own offer of a unilateral ceasefire and said that the kidnapping of the Chinese engineers working on the Gomal Zam dam for the development of South Waziristan was a case in point.

"It is ironic that the local ulema do not denounce anti-Pakistan activities in strong, unambiguous and unequivocal terms," the ISPR said. "Security forces are exercising utmost restraint in responding to the provocative acts like unprovoked firing on its positions and subjecting the security forces' convoys to attacks by improvised explosive devices developed, financed and planted by these anti-state elements."

It reiterated that security forces reserved the right to respond to the attacks "in the manner it deemed fit to protect the lives and property of its people and extend the writ of the government".

The ISPR blamed the kidnapping of the Chinese on "Abdullah Mehsud, the self-proclaimed commander of the terrorists and the so-called militants". "This irresponsible anti-Pakistan act speaks of the actual designs of these elements of Abdullah Mehsud".

The ISPR said that although Abdullah Mehsud quickly disassociated himself from the kidnapping, ostensibly to avoid losing face with the Mehsuds and the risk of being termed as the initiator of hostilities, the emissary sent to the kidnappers on the morning of Oct 10 belonged to his group.