MINGORA, April 27 The government on Monday deployed army troops on the Karakoram Highway in Shangla, Battagram and Kohistan following attacks on some NGO offices in Saidu Sharif.

According to sources, soldiers had taken position at the Tahakot bridge linking Shangla with Battagram.

Armed men looted and ransacked the offices of the Belgium-based humanitarian organisation, Medicines Sans Frontieres, and a local NGO, Hujra, in Saidu Sharif.

The Medicines Sans Frontieres works for relief and rehabilitation of people in the conflict zone in Swat.

The sources said that militants occupied a telephone exchange building in Satal area and the house of a religious figure, Pir Syed Ali Gilani, in Behrain. However, they vacated on Monday the house of PML (N) leader Saranjam Khan which they had occupied a few days ago.

Residents said Taliban had established checkposts in Satal and Kedam areas to keep an eye on the movement of troops. They said that the telephone exchange was vacated by security forces a few days ago.

According to information received from troubled areas, Taliban continued their march towards Kalam after establishing control in Behrain.

Militants kidnapped a former police official in Amankot near Mingora town. The man who had retired from service on April 1 was identified as Havaldar Salahuddin.

Residents said fighter planes kept hovering over different parts of Swat, setting off fears of an air strike.

DELEGATION A 22-member delegation of Wefaqul Madaris, led by its president Maulana Saleemullah and Mufti Mohammad Rafi Usmani met, TNSM deputy chief Maulana Mohammad Alam in Amandara, Malakand.

The TNSM leader gave a copy of the peace agreement to the delegation and told them that the Wefaqul Madaris was authorised to make any changes in the document.

The delegation from Karachi appreciated the stance of TNSM for the enforcement of Sharia Nizam-i-Adl Regulation in Malakand Division.