LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency), Feb 20: Armed men, allegedly supporters of Mufti Munir Shakir, on Monday kidnapped a member of the Bara Peace Committee. The BPC member from Akkakhel tribe, Maroof Khan, was on his way to Bara bazaar when his vehicle was intercepted by alleged supporters Mufti Munir Shakir. Eyewitnesses said that Maroof Khan was first beaten up and then forcibly taken away.

Relations between the BPC and Mufti Munir Shakir had worsened when some of the committee members had demanded his expulsion from Bara and a ban on his illegal FM radio station.

The Mufti, in return, had demanded removal of the head of the BPC Mulana Ahmad Khan and members Mustamin Khan and Maroof Khan.

In his daily sermons on FM radio station, the Mufti had repeatedly criticised the peace body for its failure to ensure law and order situation in Bara.

The administration, for the law and order point of view, had forced Pir Saifur Rehman, an opponent of Munir Shakir, to leave Khyber Agency some three weeks back. The two religious leaders had long-standing differences over observance of certain religious rituals and had issued fatwas against each other.—Correspondent