MINGORA: Chinese engineers in Swat to inspect power project site
By Hameedullah Khan
MINGORA, March 6: A six-member team of Chinese engineers arrived in Swat valley on Thursday to inspect the site and decide about the resumption of work on the Besham Hydro Power Project.
The work on the project had been halted on October 15, 2007 after the militants loyal to Maulana Fazlullah, known as Mullah Radio, started armed struggle to enforce Taliban style system in the area. The Chinese engineers, who are staying at an official rest house, will visit the site amid tight security to take decision regarding the resumption of work on the project.
An official told Dawn requesting not to be named that the Chinese engineers were willing to resume work and complete the project as soon as possible.
As the security forces routed out militants from most areas and peace was slowly and gradually returning to the volatile valley, the work on the developmental projects would be resumed shortly, officials said.
“We have come here to resume the work. But it depends on the law and order situation. If we found the situation here favourable then we will not hesitate to call our other staff and restart the work,” the official quoting a Chinese engineer as saying.
Meanwhile, the security forces and police resumed a major search operation against the militants in Matta town and its adjoining areas including Bariam, Sambat, Bodigram, Khareri and Kozza Bama Khela on Thursday morning.
The joint operation, officials said, was the biggest-ever and unique as no curfew was imposed in the area. The security forces backed by military APC and police vehicles conducted raids to flush out the militants hiding in different areas of Matta.
They security forces also recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition including rocket launchers, shells, machineguns, ball bearings, cartridges, time bombs, one truck blankets and quilts and electronic appliances from the hideouts of the militants.
The security forces also defused a remote control bomb planted near a primary school in Kozza Bama Khela.
FATHER OF SUICIDE BOMBER HELD: Kanju police in a raid on Thursday arrested Salaman Kanju, the father of the alleged suicide bomber who had blew himself up in an attack on the Army convoy at Matta on July 15, 2007, killing about 16 military personnel.
The father of the suicide bomber was shifted to undisclosed location for interrogation.
