January 01, 2009	Thursday	Muharram 03, 1430

KOHAT, Dec 31: Police have claimed that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud has raised a force of volunteers for carrying out terrorist attacks in the region during Muharram.

Speaking at a joint meeting of leaders of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat and the Shia community at the Kohat Police Club on Wednesday, the deputy inspector general of police, Kohat division, Qudratullah Marwat, said senior officials had received intelligence reports that Baitullah Mehsud had sent a batch of 500 terrorists for disturbing peace in the region by targeting sensitive places and Muharram processions.

He requested the leaders to work for peace and harmony in the region. He said Islam taught the lesson of brotherhood and tolerance, which should be reflected during religious occasions.

The meeting was attended by the chairman of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, former PML-N MNA Javed Ibraheem Paracha, Manzoor Ahmed Paracha, Abid Paracha, Maulana Rehman Din and representatives of the Imamia Council, Syed Mehtabul Hassan, Sher Mohammad Tori, Amjid Karbalai, Syed Mazhar Ali Shah and circle police officers.

ROCKET ATTACK: Three women and a boy of a family were killed and six others, including four women, injured when a rocket hit a house in Darra Adamkhel on Wednesday.

Officials said the rocket fired from some location in the hills near the town blew up the house, killing the three women and the boy on the spot. Six other members of the family were injured. They were taken to the Kohat Divisional Headquarters Hospital.

Sources said this was the first rocket attack in Darra Adamkhel after a lull of one month. They said militants had escaped from the area to the Orakzai Agency after a military operation was launched in the area.

The army had launched an operation in Darra Adamkhel in August following a suicide attack on a military camp near the Kohat Tunnel.

Kohat District Coordination Officer Siraj Ahmed told Dawn that militants could target the tunnel, but keeping in view problems of people its opening would be considered by security forces after Muharram.