October 30, 2008	Thursday	Shawwal 30, 1429

LANDI KOTAL, Oct 29: Doctors and paramedics observed complete strike throughout the Khyber Agency on Wednesday to protest against the kidnapping of Agency Surgeon Dr Zaman Khattak.

Medical Superintendent Agency Headquarters Hospital Dr Zar Alam told Dawn that except for the casualty departments and labour rooms, all other departments of hospitals and health units throughout the agency would remain closed for three days.

He said that the future line of action would be decided after the three-day strike. He demanded of the concerned officials to increase Khassadar patrolling on the Peshawar-Torkhum road and provide special security to the medical staff.

Dr Khattak was abducted at gunpoint on October 22 when he was on his way home from Jamrud.

Kidnapping for ransom is on the rise for the last few weeks in Jamrud and Landi Kotal tehsils of the agency with no remedy from official circles in sight.

Sources said that a number of armed groups were active in both tehsils and had so far picked nearly a dozen men for ransom.

Relatives of the kidnapped persons avoid reporting the matter to the political administration due to their ‘poor’ record of tracking down robbers and gangsters. —Correspondent