RAZMAK (North Waziristan): Vengeful tribesmen couching behind rocks and scrub in sun-scorched North-West Frontier hills opened fire on this outpost township today [Oct 17] as the first light aircraft bringing in Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and party arrived. The British artillery in the town returned their fire which continued desultorily throughout the day … writes the API correspondent. The tribesmen in sniping technique used one 20 millimeter cannon stripped from a crashed British aircraft … as well as rifles but no casualties are reported so far, although at the time of wiring odd shots are still continuing.

The marksmen are reported to be adherents of the Fakir of Ipi who is reported to be living in a cave hide-out in the gaunt Waziristan hills near the Afghan border… . Firing of this kind directed into the town is reckoned to be unusual here and the general impression is that it was meant to show tribesmen’s opposition to Pandit Nehru’s visit. Pandit Nehru who left Peshawar this morning in an R.A.F. Dakota … has met two ‘Jirgas’ of Tribesmen so far and has been coldly received in each case… .

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2021