Khyber Agency action achieves ‘80% results’

Khyber Agency action achieves ‘80% results’

* US supply route to open tomorrow
* PA says senator’s brother was ‘harbouring’ militia
JAMRUD/PESHAWAR: The NATO and US supply route through Pakistan will be reopened by Saturday after Operation Daraghlam against the Taliban and criminals in Khyber Agency achieved ‘80 percent’ of its target on Thursday, the agency’s political agent said.
“Landikotal highway will reopen for traffic in a day or two as the operation has achieved 80 percent targets,” Khyber Political Agent Tariq Hayat Khan said.The supply route was closed on Tuesday to fight the Taliban and criminals who were attacking convoys bound for international forces in Afghanistan and were threatening Peshawar’s security.Combined forces of the army, paramilitary forces and the tribal administration continued the assault on the third day and demolished 13 more houses of criminals and their tribal facilitators, local residents and administration officials said.The forces focused their attacks on Ghundai, Shahkas and Wazir Dhand areas of Khyber, official sources said.“During a search operation, the forces recovered weapons and stolen goods, that were originally bound for NATO and US forces in Afghanistan,” administration officials said. At least 33 hideouts of criminals, the Taliban and their local harbourers have been demolished until now, the officials said.“Around 15 wanted men were arrested or surrendered to the authorities today and the total number of such people has reached 43,” they said.The effective area of the operation was on Thursday extended to the outskirts of Jamrud, the political agent said.Khan said the forces’ action was ‘not an eyewash’, as it would restore the government’s writ in Khyber and ensure Peshawar’s security.The political agent denied demolishing the house of Senator Nasir Khan. Khan said, however, the house of Nasir’s brother was demolished following reliable evidence that he was ‘harbouring’ a private militia, and the house was being used for detaining hostages.


Thursday, January 01, 2009
PESHAWAR: A policeman was killed when militants blown up a police checkpost in Mitthra in suburb of Peshawar.According to police sources, militants blown up a checkpost with explosives in Mitthra area. A policeman Asif Jan was killed and two others injured in the blast. The injured were shifted to hospital. Police has started investigations of the incident.