950819

Fresh trouble may

erupt in Bara as

ceasefire expires

PESHAWAR: The ceasefire reached between angry tribal militants and the political administration of Khyber Agency is due to expire on Sunday and therefore indications of fresh trouble in tribal territory of Bara if the dispute between the two sides is not settled before the expiry of the ceasefire.

However, some intermediaries are continuing their efforts to resolve the dispute but the two sides are sticking to their respective main demands.

According to sources in the Tanzeem Itehad Ulema Qabail, armed activists of this organisation are in no way willing to accept the complicated demands put forth by the administration which the Tanzeem leaders term as impracticable. Likewise, the political administration of the Agency seems to be totally unwilling to accede to the main demand of the Tanzeem, that is, immediate release of its chief, Moulana Abdul Hadi, and his seven colleagues.

Meanwhile, several sub-tribes of the Khyber Agency are holding a Grand Jirga (assembly) in the outskirts of Bara on Sunday to contemplate and decide their collective response with regard to demands put forth by the administration.

On the other side, Frontier Corps and Militia, keeping in view a possible fresh showdown with the armed activists of the Tanzeem, continued strengthening their positions on the nearby hilltops and at sensitive places in the Bara tehsil.

According to informed sources, fresh reinforcements were being despatched to the troubled places ahead of expiry of the ceasefire period. There were unconfirmed reports that angry tribesmen from various parts of Khyber Agency were preparing to make Landi Kotal town as focus of their fresh armed activities.

After being flushed out of Bara area, the militants may find Landi Kotal and its surrounding areas to be strategically best suited to launch their activities against the para-military forces. However, the administration has denied launching any operation at Landi Kotal town where telephone links were disconnected for the last two days.-PPI