PESHAWAR, Jan 24: The district government of Mardan has sought additional police force and greater logistics from the NWFP government to enable it to counter threats to law and order due to growing Talibanisation in the district, sources say.

“We have asked the provincial home department to take notice of Taliban’s activities in Mardan, but so far all such requests have fallen on deaf ears,” said a high-ranking police official. He said that on Wednesday night, a police mobile van was targeted in the Bakhshali village along the Mardan-Swaabi road, injuring one person. Police were accompanying a provincial minister when they were fired upon by the alleged Taliban.

Bomb blasts have been reported in schools and principals of girls’ schools in Mardan have been receiving threatening letters. On Sunday last, police exchanged fire with militants for several hours on the outskirts of the city.

An official of the district government said scores of DVD shops in the city had been blown up but the provincial government was yet to take steps to check the tide of extremism.

A police official said they had a total of 3,000 policemen and it was difficult for them to keep a check on Taliban’s activities in the city. Mardan, the second largest district of the Frontier province with a population of 1.7 million, was hitherto considered a moderate city.

“Recently, the government appointed 9,000 policemen. We got the services of 400 newly-recruited constables but they were sent on training,” said the police official.

A senior member of the Mardan district government said they had been asking the provincial government to strengthen the communication system and provide vehicles to them, but such requests had made no difference.

“Militants are using the long hilly terrain from Shangla and Swat to infiltrate into Mardan. They are hiding in the hills and police are unable to check them,” he added.