November 22, 2007	Thursday	Ziqa’ad 11, 1428

KOHAT, Nov 21: A jirga of the Bangash tribe called on the Political Agent of Frontier Region of Kohat, Kamran Zeb, at his residence on Wednesday evening and expressed grave concern over the escalating violence in the area.

Led by former chief justice of the Peshawar High Court, Syed Ibn-i-Ali, the jirga asked the government to ensure security of lives and property of all the people who passed through the Darra Adamkhel. The area is under the control of Taliban.

They also called for a stern action against a handful of miscreants who had let loose a reign of terror in the area and continuously challenging the writ of the government.

They expressed deep concern over activities of Taliban who were checking all commuters in Darra Adamkhel and torturing the people of the rival sect after kidnapping them.

Mr Kamran Zeb, who also holds the office of District Coordination Officer, Kohat, assured the delegation that the government would utilise all its resources to control the situation in the region and nobody would be allowed in future to harass commuters passing through Darra Adamkhel on the Indus Highway.

He also announced a compensation of Rs100,000 each for the three truck drivers who were killed by Taliban in Darra Adamkhel on Sunday last.

Dawn has learnt that the Taliban were still holding a few people in Darra Adamkhel and had released three women and a man on Tuesday night after an influential personality delivered a message from NWFP Governor Lt- Gen (retd) Ali Mohammad Jan Aurakzai to them.