August 12, 2008	Tuesday	Sha'aban 9, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Aug 11: Former MNA from Orakzai Agency Syed Munir Syed and some elders from the restive Kurram Agency on Monday warned that the militants might take control of the two tribal areas in case the government failed to deal with the elements.Speaking at a press conference, they said that the militants had resorted to target killings after brutally assassinating the elder brother of MNA Sajid Hussain a week ago.

“Tension in Kurram Agency has spilled over to Orakzai Agency and the situation could engulf the whole area, in case the government remained a silent spectator,” Munir Syed, who is also former parliamentary secretary for Frontier Region, said.

Sectarian violence in the scenic Kurram Agency started in April last year after some unidentified militants opened fire on a religious procession in Parachinar. Since then, the militants occupied positions on Tal-Parachinar road blocking the route for all kinds of transport.

He said that the militants were targeting a particular community under the nose of the political administration.

The former MNA accused Governor NWFP Owais Ghani for turning a deaf ear to the woes of Turi tribesmen.

“The residents of Parachinar cannot travel on Tal-Parachinar road due to the presence of armed militants on the road. They travel to Afghanistan and then enter their areas where the militants kidnap them and afterwards they are slaughtered,” he said.

The former MNA said that 12 children and five women who received bullet wounds succumbed to injuries in a hospital due to non-availability of life-saving drugs. He said that a 40-kg bag of wheat flour was being sold at Rs6,000 in Parachinar.

“Local Taliban have controlled the entry and exit points of Kurram Agency and they patrol the area at night. People cannot come out of their houses and children cannot go to their schools fearing kidnapping, by the militants,” Sajid Hussain, an elder of Turi tribe said.

“We are gripped by problems at all fronts. First there is no supply of food due to blockage of the main road and secondly, killing is on in the area,” he said.

Ali Gulzar, another elder urged immediate government action against the militants.

He demanded of the government to ensure redeployment of army in Orakzai Agency where militancy was gaining momentum after the army left the area.