LI men resume incursions into Peshawar

Staff Report

PESHAWAR: Bara-based banned militant organisation Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) again ventured into the provincial capital on Wednesday, acting against their word of not going for incursions into the city.

Militants were on the way in their vehicle after giving threats to some gambling dens on the University Road on Wednesday. Police chased their Land Cruiser bearing registration number H-786, which collided with another vehicle on Ring Road.

An exchange of fire took place between police and militants following which an LI activist Younas was killed, while another Naek Mohammad was arrested in injured condition. Other militants, said to be eight, managed to escape.

Youans was a proclaimed offender (PO) with the Pishtakhara police for a double murder which occurred on February 9, 2006. Some media reports also said of his (alleged) involvement in recent kidnapping and murder of a Sikh hakeem in Khyber Agency.

His criminal past and association with militant organisation reveals the intriguing nexus between militants and criminals during the ongoing wave of militancy.

Superintendent Police (SP) Cantonment Abdul Qadir told Daily Times that the police had information about the vehicle that it was used in three incidents of kidnapping from the city.

Government had launched an operation in Khyber Agency on June 28 against the LI for its increasing incursions in Peshawar after it (LI) kidnapped 16 Christians from Academy Town area of the University Town on June 21, who were later released on June 22.

The police officials at that time were of the view that the LI and another militant outfit Amr Bil Maroof wa Nahi Anil Munkir were involved in kidnapping for social and religious reasons and these two groups had abducted dozens of people including those (allegedly) associated with black magic, charms and amulets, prostitution and others, and freed them after they guaranteed in written that they would not indulge in such activities in future.

Elders of Afridi tribes of Bara subdivision had signed a deal with the political authorities on July 9.

The tribes in the 25-point deal agreed that LI will make no incursions into Peshawar district and other settled areas adjacent to Bara subdivision.

Following the signing of the deal, the political authorities had lifted curfew in the subdivision and opened Bara Bazaar.

Sources from Khyber Agency told Daily Times that political authorities of the agency called the elders of Afridi tribes from Bara for a meeting on Thursday to discuss the Wednesday’s incident.

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