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FC continues

Bara blockade,

tension on rise

PESHAWAR: Tension further picked up between armed tribal groups and militia forces in tribal territory of Bara in Khyber Agency on Wednesday as the personnel of Frontier Corps continued blockade of vast areas and kept on siege around already demolished main offices of Tanzeem Ittehad Ulema Qabail.

Amidst mounting tension some of intermediaries continued efforts to resolve the dispute through negotiations involving both tribal elders and key-figures of the concerned political administration.

In some areas in the Agency, several tribal groups, angry over demolition of the Tanzeem's main offices began to organise an armed force to avenge the Militia action which resulted into demolition of the Tanzeem's offices and a fairly good number of houses and shops in the troubled Bara Tehsil. Fearing troubles, the security forces at a number of places in the agency reinforced their positions to face any onslaught by armed tribesmen in the wake of changed situation.

Almost all Bazars, shops etc. remained closed at Bara while people kept shifting to safer places alongwith their belongings. The power, telephone and water supply to the troubled areas which was cut off on the first day of the operation was not restored as yet.

It was learnt that the authorities were not willing to accede to main demand of the agitating tribesen i.e. release of detained chief of the Tanzeem Moulana Abdul Hadi and his seven other colleagues.

Fresh reports reaching here said the other day's action by the security forces pushed militant tribesmen far away into remote inacessible parts of the Agency and they were not willing to risk their lives in the absence of required support to attack the paramilitary forces.-PPI