December 07, 2006	Thursday	Ziqa'ad 15, 1427

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PESHAWAR, Dec 6: The NWFP Assembly on Wednesday called upon the federal government to arrest an official of the Intelligence Bureau, who was accused of planting explosives outside the Chief Minister House.

Through a resolution adopted by a majority vote, the assembly also demanded the arrest of a joint director of the bureau who allegedly took away the accused in violation of the law, along with the explosives, and later resisted his re-arrest by the police.

The issue was raised by MPA Maulana Amanat Shah through a point of order. Speaker Bakht Jehan Khan suspended the relevant rules, enabling Amanat Shah to move his resolution.

Opposition MPAs from the Pakistan People’s Party (Sherpao) and the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) opposed the resolution.

The assembly also demanded the return of 140 platoons of the Frontier Constabulary which are deployed in three provinces of the country. A resolution tabled by Awami National Party’s Bashir Ahmad Bilour was adopted by the assembly.

Mr Bilour said that keeping in view the present law and order situation in the NWFP it was necessary that the platoons were deployed inside the province.

The proceedings were held in the newly constructed assembly hall, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani on Wednesday. As the hall was opened for the session in a rather disorganised fashion, various important equipment, including the sound system, were not up to the mark.

On a point of order, Maulana Amanat Shah of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal accused some federal intelligence agencies of creating a law and order situation in the province. He said the “high-handed attitude” of such officials could be judged from the fact that the accused arrested in connection with planting explosives had been set free.

Maulana Amanat demanded immediate arrest of those responsible for the Tuesday incident and urged the federal government to refrain from posting such officials in the NWFP.

Abdul Akbar Khan of the People’s Party Parliamentarians and Bashir Ahmad Bilour of the ANP supported the resolution moved by Amanat Shah. Sikander Hayat Sherpao of the PPP (S) opposed the resolution, saying when investigations had been launched into the incident there was no need for such resolutions.

Sirajul Haq of the Jamaat-i-Islami said seven tribal agencies were bordering the NWFP and there were four million Afghan refugees in the province, but law and order was better there as compared to other provinces.

He said the situation had become a bit serious after the planting of explosives near the Chief Minister House. He described the incident as “a contempt of the elected assembly”. He called for an inquiry into the incident.