Drive-by shooting: Political agent’s vehicle ambushed, levies officer injured

Despite an exhaustive search operation, the assailants were nowhere to be found.

KOHAT:

Unidentified militants ambushed the vehicle of Orakzai Agency Political Agent (PA) Mehmood Aslam, injuring a levies official in Feroz Khel area on Friday morning.

The PA told journalists he came out of his office around 10:30am and was on his way to Feroz Khel from Utman Khel when unidentified militants sprayed his vehicle with bullets. Farman Khan, a levies official working as a guard for the PA, was injured in the attack.

The PA added heavy contingents of levies officials and security forces rushed to the spot after the incident and blocked entry and exit routes of the area. A search operation was also launched, but no arrests have been made so far.

Farman Khan was taken to Combined Military Hospital, Kohat where he is said to be in stable condition.

According to tribal elders from Feroz Khel, they had earlier told the PA about militants targeting local tribesmen in the area, but no action had been taken.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2013.