MULTAN, March 29: Mazari Goth village in the Rajanpur district once again came under attack of rockets and shrapnels early hours on Saturday from Dera Bugti area of Balochistan.

Reports revealed that some 30 explosive flying objects landed in and around Mazari Goth within a time span of one-and-a-half-hour. The area people woke up with the landing of the first shrapnel and took refuge in trenches they had dug for such occasions.

The people told Dawn that neither Rangers nor the Punjab Constabulary had responded to the firing. When contacted the acting district police officer, DSP Wallayat Shah contradicted the claim of Mazari Goth people.

He said on night between Friday and Saturday the rangers had spotted some three people roaming suspiciously in the area where gas pipelines were crossing. The paramilitary force personnel warned and later opened fire at them. The ‘strangers’ also retaliated and fled away taking the advantage of darkness towards Balochistan.

Meanwhile, the Rojhan police formally put on record the arrests of some four influential tribal elders of the area in connection with the kidnapping of three police officials allegedly for ransom.

The arrested were Sardar Sobdar Khan Khiazi, Babrak Khan Khiazi, Wadera Ahmed Nawaz Khan Khird Mazari and Sobhani Khan alias Sobhal Khird Mazari. The Khiazis were picked by the area police almost a month ago while the Khird Mazaris were taken into custody about 10 days ago.

Rajanpur tehsil Nazim Rafiq Azam Mazari termed the arrests political victimization. He questioned that why did not the police interrogate the ‘influential’ who helped secure the release of kidnapped policemen. He said the ‘influential’ who had close links in Bugti area had also managed to get back the jeep of the manager of an MNA elected from Kashmore.

It may be mentioned that some armed men had snatched the jeep, some cash and gold articles from the MNA’s manager on Indus Highway near Kharrak Link Road. The victim however avoided to get registered a case with police and instead sought help of some influential people who compelled the outlaws to return everything they had looted from the manager.

Former caretaker prime minister and the Mazari tribe chief has recently sought attention of the Punjab government through an open letter to the chief minister towards the law and order problem in Rojhan tehsil due to Bugti invasions and the anti-Mazari attitude of the local police.