GHALANAI: Tribesmen blocked Mohmand-Bajaur Road here on Sunday to protest hand grenade attacks on two houses in Sandokhel Bazaar area of Mohmand tribal district.

They said that last night at 9:30pm unidentified persons threw hand grenades at the houses of health technician Fakhre Alam and owner of a medical store Alam Gul. No loss of life was reported in the two attacks.

The tribesmen along with shopkeepers closed the bazaar and also blocked Mohmand-Bajaur Road for three hours. Commuters faced difficulties owing to blockade of road.

The protesters erected tents on the main road. Safi tehsildar Younis Khan and DSP Jan Mohammad tried to persuade the protesters to open the road, but failed to do so.

The protesters were demanding that deputy commissioner and district police officer should come to the site and assure them that no such incidents would occur in the area in future.

After the assurance of local elders including Malik Zarbadshah, Haji Gul Ghani, Gul Rehman and others, the protesters opened the road but Sandokhel Bazaar remained closed as a protest.

The protesters said that all the weapons and arms were snatched from them by security forces during search operation in the area. “How we can maintain law and order in the area without weapons,” they questioned.

They threatened block the main road at Nakki Tunnel as a protest if their demands were not accepted.

Drive: The volunteers of community disaster response team of Pakistan Red Crescent Society along with Ekka Ghund Tehsildar Gohar Ali launched clean and green Pakistan drive in Shaheed Banda area of Pandiali tehsil.

On the occasion, the local elders, students and volunteers also held a walk to raise awareness regarding cleanliness and plantation in the area. The tehsildar along with volunteers planted some saplings.

He urged the local elders and students to grow more plants because plants played key role in controlling pollution.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2019