KHAAR, June 2: Five people, including a tribal chief, a political tehsildar and a journalist were killed, when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in the Dara Khwar area on Saturday.

Those who died were identified as Nazukai Salarzai tribe chief Malik Muhammad Ayaz, his son Mohammad Pervez, political tehisildar Wisal Khan, journalist Noor Hakeem and sepoy Hassan Muhammad.

The tehsildar had gone to Mallsaid Banda in Salarzai tehsil to supervise an operation against a suspect wanted in connection with the Feb 16 murder of Dr Abdul Ghani Khan, the agency’s top surgeon.

When the victims were returning to Khaar, the Bajaur Agency’s headquarters, their vehicle hit the bomb. The five men died on the spot.

Officials believe that the device was an improvised remote control bomb.

Journalist Noor Hakeem was a correspondent for Daily Pakistan and Vice President of the Tribal Union of Journalists. He was accompanying the tehsildar to cover the operation against the suspect.