Militants resurface in Peshawar suburbs

PESHAWAR: After almost six months of silence, militants are again resurfacing in Peshawar and have struck in various localities recently, a source confided to The News. “There are reports that the law and order situation in the city and parts of the country is likely to see an ugly turn in the coming few days as militants in surrounding tribal areas are regrouping,” said the source. In Peshawar, militants seem to have re-launched their strikes by killing a leader of the Safi Amn Lashkar in Mohmand Agency, Feroz Mohmand, in Rashid Garhai Sunday evening and later blowing up the shrine of Hazrat Mian Umar Baba in Chamkani in the early hours of Monday. Though no casualty was reported, villagers in Chamkani ran out of their houses after hearing the huge blast at around 3 a.m. Officials of the bomb disposal unit (BDU) estimated that around 1.5 kilograms of explosives were placed near the grave, causing cracks in the mausoleum but no casualty as nobody was present there. Another shrine was attacked a few days back in Sheikh Mohammadi village where the caretaker, Mushtaq Hussain, was killed. Previously, the shrine of revered Pashto poet Abdur Rahman Baba in Hazarkhwani and other shrines in Chamkani, Regi, Sheikhan, Badaber and other villages were bombed. Recently, apart from suffering 12 rocket attacks, the Ghazi Baba police post in Matani was attacked by 50 to 60 armed men a few days back. The attack was retaliated, resulting in the killing of two assailants, both belonging to the Frontier Region Kohat. Police claimed security in the city had already been beefed up after tipped off by the security agencies about the attacks on important places and establishments by the terrorists in coming days. Vehicles entering the city and cantonment limits are being thoroughly searched again. “We have been conducting raids every morning in rural parts of Peshawar. We have hired two platoons from the Frontier Constabulary which are deployed along with as many platoons of police in Hamidi Machine area to counter any attack from Darra Adamkhel,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Peshawar Karim Khan told The News. Killers of two women from Asiya Gate also claimed to be members of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). They placed a piece of paper with the bodies of Falak Naz and her mother Dilshada in Ranu Garhai, claiming the two had been punished for adultery. “We are still investigating into the case but it is yet to be established whether the act was committed by the militants or other criminals,” remarked Karim Khan. Sources disclosed that militants from Pastawuna and Zoa in Frontier Region Kohat and FR Peshawar, where they are gaining strength, are probably operating in Chamkani, Urmarh and Shamshatoo areas. “Internally displaced persons (IDP) coming from Bajaur, Mohmand Agency, Malakand and southern districts are also posing a threat to the security of the city,” said the source. Peshawar witnessed the worst law and order since 2007 as suicide bombings, blasts, rocket barrages, kidnapping for ransom and other heinous crimes had touched the highest level. Out of 80 suicide attacks in 2009, 16 occurred in Peshawar alone, killing hundreds of people and leaving scores wounded. Five major bombings took place in Peshawar within only eight days last year. The provincial capital witnessed two suicide attacks during the month of April, one on the US Consulate and another close to a rally of Jamaat-e-Islami in Qissa Khawani Bazaar. The attack on Pir Bala police checkpost in last week of April was also reported to be a suicide hit. Except the month of April, the first half of the current year was, however, far better as compared to the corresponding period last year.