KHAR, July 19: Five shops were destroyed and 12 others were damaged when a barber’s shop was blown up in the Inayat Kallay bazaar here on Wednesday night. Maj Mamoor Khan of the Bajaur Levies force said that explosives were armed with a timer device and planted inside the shop owned by Aziz Khan, a barber.

The explosion also damaged a11,000-KV power line, and electricity supply remained suspended to many areas.

Shopkeepers close to Aziz Khan said that he had been receiving threats, warning him of dire consequences if he did not stop shaving off people’s beards. However, Aziz did not pay heed and continued to trim beards and shaves.

Chief of the Anjuman-i-Tajiran Inayat Kallay Haji Mohammad Shah said that other shopkeepers had tried to dissuade him from shaving beards but Aziz persisted, saying he could not abandon his profession.