| QUETTA: Pakistani paramilitary troops arrested 13 men, confiscating a cache of weapons and ammunition after a gunbattle on Saturday near the Afghan border, an official said. It was unclear who the suspects were and whether they belonged to any militant organisation or not. The troops spotted the men trying to enter Pakistan illegally by foot in Soi Karez, a border area about 135 kilometres north of Quetta, said Mehrab Shah, a government administrator in the area. The men were ordered to stop. They opened fire on the troops who retaliated, Mr Shah said. No injuries were reported. The men believed to be Afghans surrendered after the soldiers surrounded them, said Mr Shah. The weapons included 20 machineguns, nine rockets, two grenades, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a radio set and binoculars. Mr Shah said the men were being questioned. He said they had been smuggling weapons into Pakistan for terrorist attacks, but gave no evidence to support his claim. |