Not paying up: JUI-F leader’s house attacked for seventh time

Hujra of tribesman partially destroyed in another bomb explosion.

JAMRUD:

The residence of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Saida Jan was attacked for the seventh time since 2013 by unidentified men on Monday.

Jamrud’s political administration confirmed the attack and said the incident took place a little after midnight.

Jan leads the party’s Khyber Agency chapter and says his house was being shot at by extortionists who want him to pay Rs5 million. He added the attackers opened fire using assault rifles and his relatives retaliated by firing back at them which resulted in the assailants running away.

He said he had asked officials to provide him with security and take action against those responsible, but nothing has happened so far.

Officials from the political administration, however, said they have assured Jan he would be provided with security in the future.

Hujra damaged

The hujra of a tribesman was partially destroyed when a bomb planted by unknown militants detonated outside the gate in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency.

Jehangir Azam Wazir, an official from the Jamrud political administration, said Haji Yasir, the owner of the hujra, got up at midnight to see two motorcycles parked outside his gate. He claimed the men left a canister there and detonated it as they left. This destroyed the gate and partially damaged the wall.

The official said Yasir had been receiving calls from unidentified people to pay up, but he refused to pay the extortionists.

An investigation is under way.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2014.