KOHAT, March 1 Armed persons abducted the son of a local journalist from Hangu bazaar on Sunday.

The son of Misri Khan Orakzai, associated with an Urdu daily Mashriq, went to Ganjiano Kalley where some armed persons picked him up and whisked him away. Police immediately cordoned off the area to recover the victim, Zahid Orakzai, but did not find any clue to his whereabouts till filing of this report.

The journalists of Hangu district announced to boycott police functions and stop reporting as a mark of protest.

BODY FOUND A headless body was found in Anjani area of Lower Orakzai Agency on Sunday.

The political administration took the body into custody but could not confirm the identity of the victim.

Local people feared that the body could be of one of the abducted persons, who were in the custody of Taliban. Slitting throat of the victim indicated that it was the handiwork of Taliban hiding in Orakzai Agency, they added.

TWO KILLED Two persons were killed and another was injured when two groups clashed in Darsamand area of Hangu district on Sunday.

The deceased were identified as Akbar Ali and Aman, whereas the name of the injured man could not be ascertained.

Meanwhile, negotiations were formally started for the release of four tribesmen in return for the four students, kidnapped by Taliban on Friday last.

Former chief justice of Peshawar High Court, Syed Ibne Ali, had been assigned the task to negotiate with the rival group to release four tribesmen from Waziristan, who went missing from Ustarzai area of Kohat last week.

Taliban say they abducted the students in reaction to the kidnapping of four tribesmen belonging to Waziristan, who went missing while coming from Hangu.

The deadline set by Bangash Shia tribe for the government for the safe release of the students expires on Monday.

The DCO urged both the communities to show tolerance and not go to the extent of kidnapping or killing each other otherwise Kohat would turn into another Swat where nobody would be safe.