February 27, 2008	Wednesday	Safar 19, 1429

CHARASADDA, Feb 26: Law-enforcement personnel gunned down a ‘notorious outlaw’ and his accomplice in an ‘encounter’ near Charsadda town on Tuesday night.

Police said the outlaw, Siaray, was wanted in 90 cases, including the suicide attacks on former interior minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao.

“He was a foreign agent and one of the prime suspects in a number of suicide attacks,” the district police officer told Dawn.

Mr Sherpao had survived two suicide attacks in Charsadda last year. Three other suicide attacks were carried out in the district over the past few months, which killed more than 100 people.

Officials said that security personnel had intercepted the armed group near Dildar Garhi, some 15km northwest of Charsadda town. The encounter in which the two outlaws were killed lasted for about an hour.

Police also seized assault rifles, ammunition, hand grenades and a vehicle.

Officials accused the Siaray group of having connections with militants and said the gang had attacked a checkpost in Hari Chand area about three months ago and killed one paramilitary soldier.—Correspondent