May 22, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 16, 1429

MINGORA, May 21: Two more girls schools and a gas pipeline were blown up, two picnic points and a house were set on fire and a policeman was killed and another was injured in an attack on a checkpost in Swat early on Wednesday morning.

The surge in violence in Swat came hours before talks between the Tehrik-i-Taliban and the Awami National Party-led government ended on a positive note in Peshawar.

It is learnt that militants disowned by Maulana Fazlullah’s spokesman Muslim Khan, blew up the two girls schools in Koza Bandai and Nengolai areas of tehsil Kabal.

Two picnic points at Chhuta Lahore were set on fire by another group.

The main gas supply line was blown up by one of the two bombs planted near Balogram area, affecting gas supply to Mingora.

The second bomb was defused by a disposal squad.

Another group of militants attacked a checkpost in Nengolai, killing the policeman.

On Tuesday night, the Matta police station had come under a heavy attack by unidentified assailants.

Police and security forces fired back and encounter continued for half an hour.

In Charbagh the house of a policeman was attacked, however no casualty was reported in the firing.

The sources said the militants had set up a court in Peuchar area of Upper Swat which would give its first verdict on Sunday in a kidnapping case lodged by a man named Lal Zada.