September 26, 2008	Friday	Ramazan 25, 1429

KOHAT, Sept 25: The administration of Kohat district and military authorities have expressed the hope that Indus Highway and Kohat tunnel may be opened for traffic before Eid if the situation remains calm, official sources say.

District Coordination Officer Siraj Ahmed and the security forces discussed the safety of the passengers in the wake of operation in Darra Adamkhel in case the tunnel was opened for the public.

The DCO assured that the tribesmen were responsible for the security of the people on Indus Highway in their respective areas under the clause 21 of the Frontier Crimes Regulations and the political and district administration had already made foolproof arrangements for the security during Eid. More than 1,500 extra police force had been deployed at all entrance points of the district especially at the borders with the tribal areas.

A high-ranking official said that militants had fled from Darra Adamkhel and every village and was under the control of army but the situation needed to be revisited again and again before making final decision about the opening of the tunnel.

On the other hand, the tribal elders said that militants were well organised and would never stop their activities on the requests because they had their own long term agenda.

They said that more than 100,000 tribesmen who left their homes would observe Eid as refugees at Peshawar and Kohat camps. The government had made no arrangements for the displaced persons like food, proper shelter and the most important Eid gifts for the children.

High placed sources said that most of the so-called local Taliban had shaved their heads and shifted to Peshawar, Nowshera, Kohat, Bannu and other areas of the province.

ROCKET FIRED: A rocket fired by the militants exploded in PAF officers’ flats in the cantonment on Wednesday night, police said.

However no casualties or property damage was caused by the explosion. The Cantt police have registered a case against the militants and started investigation.

Official sources said that like in the earlier cases some militants had once again taken refuge in the mountains of Kohat from where they could easily target the cantonment areas. And now there was more threat to Kohat then Darra Adamkhel from the militants, they added.