September 28, 2008	Sunday	Ramazan 27, 1429

MINGORA, Sept 27: Suspected militants on Saturday gunned down ANP’s local leader Mukhtar Ali Khan and associate Sardar Ali. The chief of the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf’s Swat chapter, Fazal Hakeem, was seriously injured in the attack and was taken to Saidu Sharif district headquarter hospital.

The militants also blew up the homes of NWFP Minister for Science and Information Technology Ayub Khan Ashari and his brother, Tahir Khan, in Swat.

Mukhtar Ali, who headed the All Swat Transport Association, and Sardar Ali, President of All-Swat Rickshaw Association, and the PTI leader were attacked in Suhrat Khan Chowk minutes before Iftar.

The militants had earlier torched homes and a hujra of the ANP leader and his three brothers in Shakar Darra village and since then Mr Mukhtar was living in Mingora because of a threat to his life, but died in Saturday’s attack.

The militants blew up the homes of ANP’s provincial minister Ayub Khan Ashari and his elder brother Tahir Khan in Doshgram area of Matta tehsil.

According to residents of the area, the homes were planted with explosives, which exploded with a big bang, destroying the homes. They said the militants set the homes ablaze after destroying them.

The minister and his brother were safe as they had already moved to Peshawar.

All elected representatives of the area have abandoned their homes and moved to other places because of mounting insecurity. Some of them have even moved to Islamabad.

Security forces attacked upper areas of Matta, Kabal and Charbagh tehsils with mortar and cannon fire on Friday night. There were no casualties.

CURFEW LIFTED: The administration has lifted curfew in the entire Swat valley from Sept 27 till Eidul Fitr.

The administration asked people to “keep an eye on militants” in their areas and “inform nearby police stations in case any suspected activity is seen”.