March 31, 2006	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 1, 1427

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LANDI KOTAL, March 30: Mehsud Scouts on Wednesday night destroyed Mufti Munir Shakir’s illegal FM radio station in the Nala Malikdinkhel area. The radio station was silenced when it was hit by a mortar shell, which also damaged a portion of the mosque from where the FM station was run, and slightly injured two of the Mufti’s supporters.

The attack was carried out after the self-proclaimed commander of Lashkar-i-Islam Haji Mangal Bagh refused to close down his FM radio station and discontinue patrolling by his activists on Bara roads.

The radio station had barely started its transmissions on Wednesday night when it was targeted by the Mehsood Scouts.

Haji Misri Khan, one of the Mufti’s close aides, condemned the attack and pledged to continue to "operate" against their opponents.

Cleansing the area of anti-social elements and destruction of their property was in accordance with tribal traditions, said Misri khan, adding that they would not challenge the government’s authority.

While no other clash occurred during the past two days, markets and educational institutions remained closed on Thursday. Sources said that the Mufti’s supporters handed over the women and children of Bacha Jee family to their relatives. They were taken hostage after his house was demolished and all men of the family were killed on Tuesday.

Some other families had reportedly moved from the Nala-Malikdinkhel area after the attack on the FM station.

Matric students could not appear in examinations as educational institutions remained closed because of security concerns. Their parents expressed concern over the loss of academic session of their children.