GHALANAI, Nov 6: Four armed men kidnapped two men in the Ghazi Baig area of Haleemzai tehsil here on Tuesday, officials said.

They said the armed men, who wore masks, were waiting on a road in a van. They intercepted a car and made the men in it get out.

They forced them to board their van and then took them to an unspecified location, while one of the armed men drove off with their car.

The identity of the kidnapped men could not be ascertained.

JIRGA: A jirga of the Tarakzai tribe was held in Yakka Ghund on Tuesday to discuss the kidnapping of Tesco SDO Mohammad Irshad, who belongs to the same tribe, and two other officials.

Eyewitnesses said that during jirga proceedings, a Taliban emissary, who did not identify himself, approached jirga elders and said the Taliban demanded a ransom of Rs3 million for the release of Mr Irshad.

They said the man told jirga participants that SDO Irshad was being held by the Taliban.

The next session of the jirga will be held at the courtyard of Malik Zahid Tarakzai to discuss Taliban demands.

POWER SUPPLY: The Tribal Electric Supply Company (Tesco) has suspended supply of electricity to the Mohmand Agency in protest against the kidnapping of three officials.

The Wapda Hydro Union had set a deadline of 24 hours on Monday for the release of the three officials and had threatened to suspend supply to the entire tribal agency if the officials were not set free. The union had also said they would suspend electricity supply to the entire Fata if the said officials were not recovered within 48 hours.

SDO Mohammad Irshad, Superintendent Maroof and junior clerk Amjad had been kidnapped on Nov 2 while they were proceeding in their official car from Malook Koroona, near Shabqadar, to Ghalanai.