January 05, 2009	Monday	Muharram 07, 1430

LANDI KOTAL, Jan 4: The military operation in Khyber region was extended to Bara subdivision on Sunday with the demolition of a house and arrest of outlaws in Shalobar locality, officials said.

Bara Assistant Political Agent Fazle Qadar confirmed that action had been initiated against some selective targets in Shalobar area. He said that the operation had been extended to Bara in order to cleanse the subdivision of anti-social elements.

Security forces demolished the house of a deceased outlaw Munawar and claimed to have recovered huge quantity of arms and ammunition including a vehicle full of explosive material from there.

Munawar, accused by the political administration of involvement in a number of criminal cases, was killed by unidentified gunmen in mysterious circumstances a year ago and his bullet-riddled body was found near Speray Dam in Bara. Officials said that they also arrested at least five alleged criminals during the operation in Shalobar.

Officials in Landi Kotal also served notices on four militants to surrender to the administration.

It is worth mentioning that Hazrat Nabi, a firebrand controversial cleric, his brother Hazrat Ali, cousin Mufti Ejaz and Murad, who were served notices for surrender, had reached an agreement with political administration some six months ago for their good conduct in future.

Local authorities accused Hazrat Nabi, also a theology teacher in a local government school, and his colleagues of harbouring and patronising militants in Landi Kotal.

Meanwhile, Khasadar personnel have intensified checking of non-custom paid vehicles plying on various routes in Khyber tribal region. Officials said that those vehicles with tented glasses had been used in most of kidnapping cases and also by militant groups in various parts of the agency.

Officials also relaxed curfew in Jamrud from 11am till 4pm on the third day on Sunday enabling hundreds of vehicles carrying trade goods and fuel and other supplies to Nato forces in Afghanistan to cross the Torkham border.

Local residents also took a sigh of relief with the relaxation in curfew. Earlier, the four-day closure of Peshawar-Torkham road caused shortage of food and other necessary items with their prices increasing manifold in Landi Kotal and Jamrud.

Officials said that 176 suspected persons including 116 Afghan nationals had so far been arrested and at least 67 houses and hideouts of militants, criminals and their supporters had so far been demolished during operation ‘Here I come’.

Contrary to official claims about attaining success during the ongoing military operation, none of at least two dozens kidnapped persons had so far been recovered.

Relatives of these kidnapped persons have demanded of the administration to ensure safe and early recovery of all the abducted men.

Local elders, social, political and religious organisations have in the meantime, demanded an immediate end to the operation.

They alleged that instead of militants and criminals, the Khyber Agency administration had targeted innocent people.