The governor was visiting Orakzai to address tribal leaders and to inaugurate the Kalaya Degree College in Kalaya town. A security official said that a total of five rockets were fired during the tribal jirga, one of which landed relatively closer to the tribal assembly.
Fata Secretary of Law and Security Tariq Hayat confirmed the number of injuries, saying, “There are a total of eight people injured, two of whom are severely injured.” He added that the injured included government officials and tribal Maliks. Another source said that the injured included security officials, doctors and government officials from the livestock and education department.
“The governor was receiving a briefing before the start of the function when the rockets struck. He is safe,” senior government official Fazal Qadir told Reuters. “One rocket fell near the helipad, while the other landed inside the ground where the rally was being held,” he added.
Eyewitnesses said that one of the rockets had been fired before the arrival of the governor, while another was fired as soon as he landed. “The injuries were caused by one of the rockets which landed close to the location where the guests were to be seated,” said Shahzeb, a local present during the attack.
Local sources from Kalaya town said that one of the rockets had landed on a house in the village of Larra, killing one person and injuring another. However, the incident could not be independently verified.
The governor, however, went on to complete his visit and meet the tribal elders. While speaking to the media, Kausar termed the attack ‘the last refuge of militants nearing their end’. Kausar went on to stress the need for education in the tribal belt, saying “our goal is very clear: to regain peace and start developmental projects in the region”.
Kausar’s visit to the area comes after recent clashes between security officials and militants in Dabori, Upper Orakzai Agency. Orakzai was termed ‘clear’ from militants following a military operation in the region. However, the bordering area of Terah Valley of Khyber Agency is still considered a safe haven for militants. (Additional input from agencies)
Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th, 2011.
COMMENTS (7)
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@dr inam: the bigger question is why would someone drive critically injured victims all the way from orakzai agency to peshawar? certainly the cmh in kohat is as good if not better than the one in peshawar. Strange
One of my colleague, Dr. Iqbal Rahim, Deputy Director Livestock FATA is having critical head injury. He has been admitted in CMH Peshawar and there is less than 10 percent chances that he may survive. I just came back from CMH. All of his family (4 daughter, 4 sons and a wife) were weeping. Believe me i could not resist to see their tears. Now tell me who will take care of his family. Who will earn bread and butter for his family. I dont know why the Governor KPK arranges such gatherings in such a havoc situation and if they are arranging such mass meetings than why not they may take care of the Govt servant's security. Also, the injured were transported by road and the helicopter was reserved for governor. Just imagine, the injured had to travel for at least 4 hrs from the Kalaya Orakzai Agency to Peshawar. it is indeed the height of cruelty.
@A J Khan there is nothing in the world as fail safe.
pakistan stop playing around now..i know the US plays a double game too when it secretly contacts these militants itself, but enough is enough. We can't afford to let ourselves get destabilized. Kill these militants, extinguish extremism, hang mumtaz qadri, control these religious parties and carry out action against the taliban and the haqqanis...if we let these groups flourish now, we'll regret it later. we have nukes-USE THEM to make a point to the militants. The state is powerful and it should use its power to prove to these murderers that they shall repent for any crimes they commit...DO it, Do it NOW!
If the story is correct, than it is nothing other than a security failure. How come the tops around were not secured.
Somebody said "we have cleared the area of terrorists".May be they did not mean those who fire from a long distance.
Looks like Strategic Assets want a pay rise....