PESHAWAR, June 13: Residents of the Matani area blocked the main Peshawar-Kohat road on Monday in protest against the killings of two persons who had been kidnapped from Darra Adamkhel 22 days ago, witnesses and officials told Dawn. The bodies of Mohabat Khan and Waheedullah, retired employees of the Pakistan Tobacco Company and residents of Adizai village, were found on Sunday night in a dry nullah between Gulzar Chowk and Arat Baba shrine in Matani, adjacent to the semi-autonomous Darra Adamkhel, witnesses said.
The people of eight villages blocked the main Peshawar-Kohat road from 8am till 3:30pm by placing the coffins at the road.
Traffic remained chocked at the Friendship Tunnel in Darra Adamkhel.
The people were demanding arrest of the killers and seeking a meeting with Governor Khalilur Rehman at their village, who had promised them few days back that the abducted persons would be released.
Later, the villagers went for the funeral prayers of the two victims and opened the road. But they vowed to revenge the killing.
They also threatened to stop the supply of electricity to Darra Adamkhel as the Peshawar Electric Supply Company grid station was situated in their locality.
They urged the people of the area to dig trenches and prepare for an armed clash with the tribesmen of Darra Adamkhel.
Mohabat Khan and Waheedullah were kidnapped when they were working in their fields on May 21, said Mohammad Jameel, naib nazim of the Matani Union Council.
Kidnappers were demanding Rs1.6 million ransom for their release. The amount was the same as the gratuity they both had received from the Pakistan Tobacco Company after the retirement, he added.
Sources said that after the kidnapping, the people of Adizai had made hostage about 17 tribesmen of Akhurwal sub-tribe of Afridi, belonged to Darra Adamkhel in retaliation.
The Adizai residents also impounded six vehicles of Akhurwal tribesmen during the last two weeks. The residents of Adizai were blaming Akhurwal tribesmen behind the kidnapping.
Elders and elected members of the Matani area held a meeting with Governor Khalilur Rehman last week and demanded to use force for the release of Mohabat Khan and Waheedullah, said the naib nazim.
The governor had assured them that they would use all available resources to secure their safe release, the nazim said, adding that after governor’s assurance the residents of Adizai released the 17 Akhurwal tribesmen and also handed over their vehicles.
“But the killings have exposed the government’s inefficiency to provide safety to the public life,” he lamented.
The sources said that the Khasadar Force and Frontier Constabulary personnel during an operation five days ago arrested few Zarghunkhel and Akhurwal tribesmen, but failed to net the three alleged kidnappers.
Said Mir alias Charg, the most notorious outlaw of the semi-tribal region, and his two accomplices — Munir and Ghazi — were alleged of kidnapping Mohabat Khan and Waheedullah.