April 23, 2007	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 05, 1428

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QUETTA, April 22: The Balochistan government has decided to establish a new tribal force to protect national installations in the Bolan area which has been under constant attacks from militants.

In the first phase, 100 men from different tribes of Bolan district will be inducted into the force which will be deployed at sensitive points between Dhadar and Kolpur areas of the district.

The force would be responsible for the protection of railway tracks linking Quetta with the rest of the country, power transmission lines and towers and gas pipelines supply gas to Quetta and other districts of the province passing through Bolan.

The decision was taken at a meeting presided over by district nazim Sardar Khan Rind in Dhadar. It was also attended by DCO Aslam Jamali, DPO Salman Ali Haideri and tribal elders of Bolan district.

Officials said the government would provide all necessary weapons, equipment, uniform and other facilities to the new force. The force will work under the command of the district police officer.

The government has already established a force comprising Marri tribesmen and was deployed in the Chamalang coalmine field. Over 1,200 Marri tribesmen were inducted into the force which was trained by the army.

Railway tracks, power transmission lines, gas pipelines and other national installations in the hilly area of Bolan have been under severe attacks for the past couple of months. Last month militants had blown up 11 huge towers of 220 and 132 KV transmission lines, disrupting power supply to 18 districts of Balochistan for about two weeks.