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| March 1, 2006 | Wednesday | Muharram 30, 1427 |
PTCL’s microwave station damaged in attack
QUETTA, February 28: The building of a microwave station of the Pakistan Telecommunication Limited (PTCL) near Aab-i-Gum was attacked and damaged while rockets were fired on checkposts of the Frontier Corps in Dera Bugti area on Tuesday.
Nazim Dera Bugti Mohammad Kazim Bugti claimed that at least three security personnel and a civilian were killed in landmine explosions in different areas but official sources did not confirm any casualty in the incidents.
According to reports reaching here, the microwave station in the Gokurt area of Bolan district was attacked in the morning. The assailants fired scores of rounds with automatic weapons hitting different parts of the building. Levies personnel deployed in the area rushed to the place and returned fire.
The exchange of fire continued for about an hour after which the attackers fled away.
A portion of the building was damaged in the heavy firing, a senior official of the Balochistan Levies Force said, adding that the equipment in the station were safe and no casualty was reported.
“We have deployed more levies in the area to protect all installations and the railway line,” he said.
In the district of Dera Bugti, armed tribesmen fired two rockets on a checkpost in Ghori Nullah and three rockets landed and exploded in Chashma, close to Sangsilla area. However, none of the rocket hit the target.
Official sources confirmed the attack and said that one rocket was also fired on Ahmadan Qila in Dera Bugti being used by security forces. However, no casualty or damage was reported.
They said that forces had defused three powerful landmines in Pathar Nullah area of the Pir Koh gas field and Moranj area of Dera Bugti district.
Dera Bugti District Nazim Kazim Bugti told Dawn that at least three FC men were killed and two injured in landmine blasts in Pir Koh and Moranj. He said that a civilian belonging to Masoori Bugti tribe was also killed in a landmine blast.
He strongly criticized the DCO Dera Bugti and said that the situation in the district had deteriorated because of what he called his false statements on different TV channels. He accused security forces of partly occupying his official residence in Dera Bugti and establishing checkposts and a picket in the building. In this situation, he said, he had no option but to leave the township.
“I was not able to perform my official duties in this situation in Dera Bugti,” Kazim Bugti said, adding that the DCO himself had to move to Sui under heavy security. He said that all allegations levelled against him (the nazim) were wrong and baseless. He demanded transfer of the DCO and departmental action against him because, in his words, he violated discipline and levelled baseless allegation against him.
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