January 18, 2008	Friday	Muharram 08, 1429

SWABI, Jan 17: The year 2007 was the worst ever year for businessmen dealing in music and video CDs, non-governmental organisations and internet cafe runners in the district as they came under regular attacks by militants.

The first bomb blast last year in the district took place on April 21 in a CD shop at Gulzada Market in Shewa Adda, the hometown of the district nazim. Another blast that occurred in a Turlandi CD centre on Aug 15 killed two people and destroyed the centre.

In the first week of June, owners of CD and music shops and cable operators in Gadoon and Topi areas received threats from militants to close down their business, otherwise their centres would be attacked.

In October, some people claiming to be representing the ‘Tehrik-i-Taliban’ asked NGOs and schools by them, and owners of video centres and internet clubs to close their offices.

A watchman found a five-kilogramme time-bomb at the Ibrar Market in Yar Hussian on Oct 26. The flowing day, CDs traders and shop owners in the area burnt controversial CDs to avoid any untoward incident.

A blast on Nov 8 damaged the entrance gate of the Government Girls’ High School in Ismalia. The school teachers and students had earlier received a letter asking them to wear thick chadar or burqa.

A week later, the entrance gate of another school was blown up in the same area.

A bomb went off close to the Chota Lahor police station on Nov 24. Five CD and video shops were blown up in Chota Lahor before dawn on Dec 6.