June 12, 2006	Monday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 15, 1427

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency), June 11: The Bara bazaar and its adjoining areas presented a deserted look on Sunday as personnel of the Khasadar force and Mehsood Scouts took control of all entry and exit points of the market after the imposition of curfew by the local administration on Saturday.

The Khasadar force on Saturday made announcements by loudspeakers, asking shopkeepers to close down their shops and leave the market area after armed activists of Lashkar-i-Islami forcibly took control of Bara bazaar and announced formation of a peace committee.

Official sources also confirmed the imposition of curfew on Bara for an indefinite time.

An official handout issued from Khyber House, office of the political agent, on Sunday refuted the clamping of curfew on Bara and instead insisted that the deployment of Khasadar force and Mehsood Scouts was aimed at flushing out activists of Lashkar-i-Islam and restoration of peace.

The Lashkar-i-Islam activists soon left Bara when paramilitary forces took control of the area.

The handout said that action would be initiated against those who violated law and those who tried to establish a parallel administration or challenged the writ of the government in the area.

The sources said that the Khyber Agency communication and works department had been asked to provide heavy machinery, including bulldozers and earth movers, for a possible action against activists of the Lashkar.

It was learnt that the administration had on Saturday night arrested an influential elder of the Sipah tribe, Malik Nawab Khan, from his Peshawar residence for his alleged financial support to the Lashkar-i-Islam.

Mr Khan is the elder brother of a former Fata parliamentarian and a leading businessman of the Khyber Agency, Haji Mohammad Shah.

Meanwhile, armed activists of Tanzim Ahle Sunnath wal Jamaat and Zakhakhel youth continued patrolling the Landi Kotal road on Sunday and also resorted to firing in the air at some points.

A jirga of Zakhakhel elders was again convened on Sunday at Satara Meel which called upon the Lashkar-i-Islam to refrain from starting its activities in Landi Kotal.

Addressing the jirga, Malik Darya Khan Zakhakhel held former Governor Khalilur Rehman and Khyber Agency political administration responsible for the deteriorating law and order situation in the area. He, however, fell short of elaborating his accusations.

On the other hand, the Bara Tajir Ittehad, Bara Doctors Association and Bara Transporters Union announced their support to Lashkar-i-Islam and blamed the political administration for its failure to restore peace.

The three organisations pledged to continue their support to the Lashkar for the formation of a unanimous peace committee.