August 26, 2008	Tuesday	Sha'aban 23, 1429

LANDI KOTAL, Aug 25: Local Taliban in Bara set free a resident of Punjab province on Monday in exchange of their two colleagues, who were held by Lashkar-i-Islam, sources said.

Taliban had kidnapped Mohammad Wasim some two weeks ago from Bara bazaar. A local journalist, who is a close friend of the kidnapped person, had also received a bullet injury on his thigh when he resisted their move.

Soon after the incident Lashkar-i-Islam activists picked up two Taliban supporters identified as Ishaq and Umar and demanded release of Mr Wasim. According to sources in Bara, Taliban leadership insisted that Mr Wasim was wanted by them in a monetary dispute since long.After prolonged negotiations by local mediators, Taliban agreed to set free the kidnapped person in exchange of their colleagues, held by the Lashkar-i-Islam. The three captives were swapped on Monday.

EYE CAMP: The Fata Health Directorate organised a 4-day free eye camp in Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency. A team of eye specialists and surgeons headed by Dr Uzma Dawood examined about 1,500 eye patients and provided them free medicines and glasses.

On the first day of the camp, surgeons carried out five operations. However, their task was seriously hampered by prolong loadshedding of electricity as they started operations after midday. Dogra hospital management had to arrange a generator for an uninterrupted power supply.