KHAR: A brother of a pro-government tribal elder was killed in a roadside bomb blast in the Mamond tehsil of Bajaur Agency here on Sunday evening, local administration officials said.

They said that the incident took place in the Tarkhoo area, some 18km northwest of Khar, the headquarters of the tribal agency.

Officials quoted eyewitnesses as saying that Fazal Manan, the younger brother of Malik Taj Khan, a well-known pro-government tribal elder in the region, along with his driver was walking on the road, when an explosive device placed along the road went off.

According to the officials, the bomb was detonated by remote control.

Manan died on the spot while his companion, Alam Gul, received serious injuries in the blast.

Local people immediately rushed to the site of the blast and took the injured to the agency headquarters hospital, Khar, for treatment, however, he was shifted to a major hospital in Peshawar due to his critical condition.

A team of local administration officials and Levies personnel also reached the spot to trace the attackers, but no arrest was made till filing of this report.

However, locals said several people had been taken into custody under the collective territorial responsibility clause of the Frontier Crimes Regulations. Local people and family members told Dawn that Fazal Manan, 47, had no enmity with anyone and was popular in the village because of his social and sports activities.

Published in Dawn September 26th, 2016