BAJAUR, Oct 12: Eight people were injured when the personnel of Bajaur Levies opened fire on enraged protesters who attacked the agency headquarters jail in Khar here on Thursday.

Three of the injured are stated to be in a critical condition.

The protesters were taking out a procession after a public meeting addressed by leaders of different religious and political parties of the Agency, including Jamiat Ulema Islam, Ashaat Tauheed wa Sunnah, Jamaat-i-Islami, Tehrik-i-Nefaz-i-Shariah Muhammadi, National Awami Party Pakistan and Awami National Party.

Those who addressed the meeting were Maulana Mohammad Sadiq of JUI; Haroon Rashid and Maulana Khurshid of JI; Maulana Faqir Mohammad and Maulana Liaquat of TNSM; Bacha Khan of NAPP; Hashim Khan of ANP and Hafiz Mohammad Jan of the Ashaat Tauheed wa Sunnah.

The speakers condemned the US air strike on Afghanistan, urging the United Nations and Islamic countries to take notice of the killings of civilian population and the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.

They said that the tribal people were ready to fight for Islam, adding that soon a big Lashkar would be sent to Afghanistan to defend the Islamic country against US and its allies’ aggression.

The protesters shouted slogans against America and set on fire an effigy of President George Bush.

After the meeting, the demonstrators marched towards the civil colony and attacked the gates of the agency jail. The personnel opened fire to disperse the mob, which resulted in injuries to eight people.

The injured shifted to hospital, where three of them were stated to be in critical condition.