LANDI KOTAL: Three music shops damaged in Landi Kotal explosions
By Ibrahim Shinwari
LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency), Aug 14: Three music shops were damaged when explosive devices of mild intensity went off here on Monday night, officials said. Three other shops were also damaged.
The three explosions took place inside the music shops in the Landi Kotal bazaar between 10:15pm and 11pm, said Rehan Khattak, the political tehsildar of Landi Kotal. He said four shopowners had been arrested because the explosives had been placed inside the shops.
Those arrested included two Afghan brothers, Ahmad Shah and Shamsher, and Ibrar Khan and Mian Wali, who belonged to Peshawar and Landi Kotal, respectively.
However, eyewitnesses told Dawn that the explosive devices had been placed outside the shops. They said the explosions were heard far and wide.
Rehan Khattak said the explosions were aimed at creating panic among local people on the occasion of the Independence Day. The local administration had to cancel the Independence Day Parade at the Torkham border due to security concerns.
Officials said a letter was also found near one of the targeted shops which warned of further attacks against owners of music shop if they did not wind up their business. The letter was supposedly issued by a little-known religious organisation, “Amr Bil Maroof Wa Nahi Anil Munkir”.
Owners of music shops said they had not received any warning from any religious organisation or cleric.
The political tehsildar, however, said the administration had warned local shopkeepers to be vigilant against such attacks. He said additional personnel of the Khasadar force had been deployed in the Landi Kotal bazaar.
