PESHAWAR, June 25: Law-enforcement agencies foiled separate attempts to attack important spots in Bannu and Peshawar cantonments on Friday and seized missiles and grenade-launchers set with timers.

No arrests were made in the two cities as saboteurs had left the scenes safely after fixing the missile and grenade launchers.

Police sources in both the cities claimed that the attempts by unknown culprits were aimed at creating panic and harassment among the people.

In the southern city of Bannu, police recovered 10 missiles near the Kurram River on Friday morning set with timers and were aimed at the Bannu cantonment.

The Russian-made missiles along with batteries and fuses were planted in the Surani locality near the Kurram river, official sources said, adding that only 15 minutes were left before the devices were primed to explode when the bomb disposal squad defused them.

The missiles had an effective range of 10 to 12 kilometres and were capable of causing a major disaster, officials said.

NWFP IGP Riffat Pasha announced a special prize for the policemen who found the missiles and informed the bomb disposal squad about it.

The Saddar police station registered an FIR against unknown culprits and started investigation.

Earlier this month, one boy was injured when an explosive device went off near the helipad in the Polo ground in the Bannu cantonment. Another live bomb was recovered near the polo ground a few days back.

In Peshawar, the city police seized a grenade launcher with eight grenades fixed, here at the Army Stadium on Friday afternoon.

Eyewitnesses said that the launcher was fixed near the basketball court in the stadium and a black bag was placed nearby.

A sweeper, who spotted the launcher and the bag, informed the stadium officials immediately. The bomb disposal squad was called in to remove the explosive.

The officials of the bomb disposal squad took the launcher and grenades in their possession and defused it. An Islamic book was also placed in the bag by unknown miscreants, creating an impression that it was the job of religious militants.

The stadium is situated in a sensitive area as the residence of Peshawar corps commander is situated within a kilometre of this spot. Offices of lawyers, fast food shops and Sher Khan Shaheed Stadium are also situated near the stadium.

Even though the army officials have set up checkpoints and installed gates on more than a dozen roads in the Cantonment area, the act of fixing grenade launchers could not be checked.