GHALANAI: Masked gunmen kidnapped a political administration official (muharrir), Shakil Ahmad, from the Khapakh Post, 18 kilometres north of Mohmand Agency headquarters Ghalanai, in the presence of Khasadar forces late at night on Wednesday, officials said. “In retaliation, political authorities arrested seven Khasadar force personnel from the Sultan Khel tribe and detained them at the Ghalanai lock-up,” political administration officials said. The political authorities, under the Collective Responsibility Act of the Frontier Crimes Regulations, have also frozen the salaries of Khasadar force class-IV employees and monthly allowances and other expenses to tribal elders belonging to the Hanzakhel tribe, they added.
Assistant Political Agent Syed Ahmad Jan confirmed the arrest of seven Khasadar force officials who were deployed at the check-post at the time of the incident. He also confirmed that Khasadar force personnelÂ’s salaries, as well as the monthly allowances to elders, had been frozen after the kidnapping. Jan said the political administration had started an investigation and would soon recover the political administration worker. No one has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping so far.
Online adds: Extremists launched another attack on a Levies check post in Bajur Agency on Thursday, but no loss of life was reported in the incident. According to a private TV channel, unidentified militants attacked the Levies check-post with heavy weaponry, including rocket launchers. Levies personnel returned fire, after which the militants fled. Army helicopters circled Mir Ali and Miranshah throughout Thursday night but no operation was launched.