Pubdate: Sun, 18 Jun 2000
Source: DAWN (Pakistan)
Copyright: 2000 The DAWN Group of Newspapers
Contact:  http://dawn.com
Author: Bureau Report

TRIBAL LEADER SURRENDERS TO POLITICAL AUTHORITIES

PESHAWAR June 17: A prominent tribal leader and president of Azad Qabail
Tehrik Haji Shakirullah Afridi surrendered to the political authorities and
one Razzaq a hotelier in Jamrud was held on charges of sheltering drug
traffickers from Mianwali and helping them escape from an army-led raid.

According to a report, Shakirullah Afridi who was summoned to the office to
help in the arrest of drug traffickers instead used abusive language against
the army officers.

Meanwhile, the political authorities of Khyber agency demolished a hotel and
a shopping plaza in Jamrud on the outskirts of Peshawar, which reportedly
belonged to Haji Shakirullah and others. Razzaq, the authorities claimed was
held while in possession of 5kg contraband heroin.

Earlier, on Friday, a local journalist Saeed Zaman Afridi working for a
national English daily and a local Urdu daily was held by the authorities on
a written complaint of two Khyber rifles officers Maj Abid and Captain Amir
on use of abusive language.

The tribesmen affected by the political authorities action however gave a
different version. They said, two army officials of Khyber Rifles Maj Abid
and Captain Amir had a verbal brawl with the owner of hotel on Thursday
night when they were asked to leave the hotel. They alleged that the action
by political authorities was taken on the complaint of the said army
officers.

The APA Jamrud however talking to newsmen in Peshawar said that Razzaq was
involved in sheltering some drug traffickers from Mianwali who made their
escape good.

Three more persons from Jamrud have been issued warrants of arrest and
ordered to surrender to the authorities otherwise be ready for punitive
action which could include demolition of their houses.
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