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TIMERGARA, Nov 21: Unidentified assailants fired eight rockets on an army base camp set up in the Scouts Fort in Chakdarra late Thursday night, residents and officials told Dawn on Friday.
“Seven of the eight rockets landed outside the Chakdarra fort while one rocket hit a room inside the fort causing partial damage to it,” a military source said.
The security forces retaliated to the attack with mortar shells, residents said, adding that the counter attack continued till 5am, which spread panic in the area. No casualties, however, were reported.
Sources said the rockets had been fired from the Allahdand area of the Malakand region, adding that militants could be hiding in the area.
Later, law-enforcement agencies started a search operation in the area.
Local people told Dawn that the attack could be a reaction to shelling from the fort on militants’ positions in Swat two weeks ago. They criticised the rocket attack and said they would not allow militants to disturb the peaceful environment of the area.
PPP WORKERS: Workers of the Pakistan People’s Party in Lower Dir have criticised party ministers and other office-bearers for neglecting workers and supporters in the district and warned that they could launch a protest campaign.
Talking to journalists here on Friday, PPP’s Timergara tehsil president Haidar Bacha claimed that party workers and supporters were being ignored by provincial ministers and other lawmakers from the area.
He said workers were not being taken into confidence over important party decisions.
He said the ministers had been informed about workers’ grievances time and again, but they had not changed their attitude.
JOURNALISTS’ ELECTION: A joint meeting of the Timergara Press Club and the Dir Union of Journalists was held here on Friday.
The meeting decided to hold annual election of the Dir Union of Journalists on Dec 25. New members were directed to complete their membership procedure till Dec 5 and the final list of members would be published on Dec 10.
