WANA, Jan 29: Five Afghan people, including a wealthy trader, were kidnapped at gunpoint at the Satta area in the South Waziristan Agency here on Sunday night.

The kidnappers shifted the Afghans to an undisclosed location in the agency.

The political administration and local tribal elders have initiated efforts to recover the Afghan nationals. No clue has so far been found to the whereabouts of the kidnappees.

In another incident, some thieves stole the car of one Dr Ajab Gul in the Zeri Noor colony here. The locals have expressed concern over the increasing incidents of robbery and kidnappings in the agency.

SMUGGLING: Smuggling from Afghanistan and receiving illegal gratification by the government officials at different checkpoints in the agency have been continuing unabated in the Angoor Adda border area of South Waziristan Agency.

Hundreds of trucks and other vehicles on their way to Afghanistan have been parked at the checkpoints for the last one week. Sources said that the authorities at the checkpoints allowed scores of vehicles to cross the border after they received illegal gratification two days ago.

The sources added that some 20 non-custom paid vehicles had also entered the tribal agency from the Wesh area of Afghanistan.

The sources further said that the drivers had paid between Rs2,000 to Rs3,000 to the officials to get permission for crossing the border.

Boys freed: Two students of a local school were set free by kidnappers after parents of the boys paid Rs500,000 ransom. Taimoor Khan and Asman Khan had been kidnapped two months ago from Mahmoodia Islamia Public School of Shakai area allegedly by Gul Dhor Khan.