A policeman inspects explosive material and other stuff which was recovered from seized explosive-laden vehicle at Chamkani police station in Peshawar. The Bomb Disposal Squad on Friday defused 40kg of explosives in an abandoned car parked at Tarnab Farm, the car, bearing registration number IDJ-2398, was laden with remote-controlled explosives and a mobile phone was also connected to the explosive device.              —PPI Images/Fahad Pervez

PESHAWAR/LAKKI MARWAT: Police claimed to have foiled an attempt to carry out a bomb blast at a cattle market in Chamkani area of Peshawar on Monday.

They said that police took an abandoned motorcar into custody and recovered 40 kilograms of explosives, detonator, remote control and other items from its cavities.

They said that the personnel of Bomb Disposal Unit defused the explosives. They said that investigations were underway and a case against unidentified terrorists was registered at Chamkani police station.

Meanwhile, the death toll of Badhber suicide bombing reached to 17 as another injured identified as Naveed succumbed to his wounds in Lady Reading Hospital on Monday.

An official said that senior police officers headed by SSP Umer Riaz were busy in investigating the incident.

He said that it was a challenge for police to ascertain as to where from the suicide bomber reached the graveyard and how he carried out the blast unnoticed.

Meanwhile, political administration of Frontier Region of Lakki Marwat launched a crackdown on Bettanni tribesmen on Monday after the expiry of deadline, set for safe recovery of four kidnapped officials.

Three officials of Sustainable Plains Development Programme (SPDP) identified as Jehanzeb, Kachkol Khan and Awal Khan, residents of Mardan, along with a Levies soldier Naser Khan were kidnapped from FR Lakki on the night between Wednesday and Thursday.

“The officials had gone to the tribal area to inspect the works of SPDP and set up forest nurseries there,” official sources said.

They said that political administration held a jirga with the elders of Bettanni tribe with a clear message to get the kidnapped officials released within four days or face action.

“The tribal elders failed to play their role in securing release of the abducted officials within the stipulate time,” they said, adding that failure of tribal elders forced authorities to initiate action under the collective responsibility clause of Frontier Crimes Regulation.

They said that more than 36 tribal elders were arrested besides sealing their business centres in Tajori town.

“The authorities also impounded six vehicles of the tribe,” they added.