MARDAN, May 10: Two explosions in a market in the Par Hoti area here on Thursday morning damaged seven music and video shops. Seven other shops were also damaged. Owners of shops in the Yousaf market condemned the attack, saying they hardly earned Rs200 to Rs300 a day, but the militants have deprived them of their only means of livelihood.

Sultan Shah and Fida Mohammad alleged that the market’s watchman might have had links with the militant group because the explosions had taken place in his presence. Police have arrested the watchman, Hafiz Jehanzeb.

The shop-owners urged the government to order an investigation into the matter and compensate them for the losses they had suffered. They said they had received a threatening letter three weeks ago, asking them to wind up their business.

Police Public Safety Commission chairman Azam Khan Khankhel has appealed to the NWFP chief minister and the prime minister to sanction compensation for the victims and to help them start new business.

Gulzar Ahmad Khan adds from Charsadda: A video and CD shop was blown up in the town’s Ameerabad area on Wednesday night.

The Umerzai and Tanghi police chased the culprits, but they escaped. However, police managed to get hold of their motorbike and found 2kg explosives strapped to it.

Tanghi police officer Alamzeb Khan said the owner of the bike had been traced. He said the bike was owned by Siar Khan, a Wapda employee, who lived in the Hakeemabad village in the Jindai area. He said Siar Khan was believed to be a sympathiser of the Taliban and might also be linked to other religious groups.

Meanwhile, members of the Christian community in Charsadda received letters on Thursday, asking them to embrace Islam within 10 days or face attacks.

Michael Raja of Muslimabad said he had received a threatening letter in which his community had been asked to either embrace Islam or face ‘consequences’.

Charsadda DPO Feroze Shah said the prayer leader of the Glisten mosque in the Tanghi area, Mohammad Anwar, had also received a threatening letter asking him to announce Sharia enforcement or be prepared to face ‘circumstances’.