November 29, 2007	Thursday	Ziqa’ad 18, 1428

KOHAT, Nov 28: Hundreds of tribesmen on Wednesday urged the government to either check the infiltration of local Taliban and other criminals into Hangu district’s Thall tehsil or allow them to establish their own checkpoints at borders with tribal areas.

Two days back unknown persons had lobbed grenades at the house of Pony Haji, a notable of the area. The tribal leader was injured and his house was partially damaged in the attack.

Local people gave a strike call for Wednesday in protest against the incident and demanded action against suspected Taliban hailing from Kurram Agency.

Sources told Dawn on Wednesday that the local Taliban had asked elders of Bangash tribe at a recently held jirga to allow them to occupy a camp vacated by Afghan refugees. They wanted to fortify their hold in the region by establishing seminaries funded by sympathisers of Taliban who had fled Swat and Waziristan Agencies after military operations.

However, Pony Haji did not agree with the tribal elders willing to concede the land to the Taliban. He also turned down the request for providing shelter or any help to the militants.

He told the jirga that with the entry of the Taliban in the area, peace would be affected and would become another battle ground, and they might have to migrate to other parts of the region like the people of Swat and Waziristan.

Meanwhile, the strike was observed from morning till afternoon. The Bangash tribesmen and clerics condemned the attack on Pony Haji at a protest meeting and chanted slogans against police and civil administration for their failure to check the Taliban infiltration.