MARDAN: Unidentified persons attacked the hujra of a lawmaker of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf by planting an improvised explosive device at its gate in Mayar area, police sources said.

They said that the IED exploded with the big bang on the night between Saturday and Sunday that damaged the main gate of the hujra (male guest house) of MPA Ubaid Mayar. The windowpanes of the residence of the MPA as well as other nearby houses were also damaged in the blast, they added.

The officials of Hoti police station said that the explosive device weighed about 500. They said that MPA Ubaid was present in his home at the time of explosion, however, he remained unhurt and nobody received any injury in the blast. The blast caused fear and panic among the people of the area.

Police personnel rushed to the site soon after getting information about the incident and started search operation in the surrounding areas. An FIR was registered at Hoti police station against unidentified persons.

PROTEST: The relatives of a deceased person, who was allegedly picked up by police some one year ago, held a protest demonstration here on Sunday and blocked Mardan-Nowshera Road for around five hours.

The relatives of the deceased identified as Imtiaz Ahmad including women and children as well as the residents of the area took to streets and put the body on the road, blocking to traffic.

The protesters belonging to Daman locality near Sheikh Maltoo Township said that 25-year-old Imtiaz Ahmad was picked up by SHO Inam Jan Khan one year ago but yesterday his family members were informed that his dead body was lying in Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar.

Chanting slogans against the government and police, the enraged protesters demanded of the registration of FIR against SHO Inam Jan and his accomplices.

They also demanded of the government to launch an impartial inquiry in the case. Setting a 72-hour deadline for the government to meet their demands, the protesters threatened that the authorities concerned would be responsible for consequences if the matter was not taken seriously.

Published in Dawn, September 29th , 2014