KOHAT, June 17: The local Taliban on Tuesday pasted leaflets at the mosques in Bilitang town, which is 22 kms east of the Kohat city, warning women and school going girls to wear burqa (veil) and not to venture out of their houses without a male member of their family, according to residents.
This is the first time that the Taliban have issued such a warning in any part of the Kohat district.
Security situation in Bilitang has deteriorated in the recent past and a fortnight ago militants had destroyed 22 shops in the main bazaar.
The area people said that the local Taliban were also strengthening their hold in other areas of the district, including Kaghazai, Togh Bala, Tanda Dam, Kharmatu, Lachi, Kohat city and Barh village.
According to the residents, the Taliban have also banned playing of music in tailoring shops and ordered the closure of CD shops. They have also warned the people of dire consequences if they tried to remove the leaflets from the mosques or informed the government about their activities.
The Taliban have also asked the female teachers to strictly follow the Islamic dress code or get ready for punishment.
Meanwhile, the Taliban on Tuesday kidnapped an alleged ringleader of a gang of kidnappers and car lifters from Darra Adamkhel bazaar along with three accomplices at gunpoint.
The Taliban also recovered an abducted man and a car from the den of alleged criminals, a Taliban spokesman Mohammad informed Dawn while giving details of their activities in Darra Adamkhel.
The spokesman claimed that activities of criminals had been intensified during the recent military operation in Darra Adamkhel and that the political administration had taken no action against them. “We are gathering information about the identity of the kidnappers from the recovered man and soon the culprits will be arrested and punished according to the Shariah laws”.
He informed that the ringleader of the kidnappersÂ’ gang, Liaquat, was involved in several cases of car jacking and kidnapping for ransom both in NWFP and Punjab, and used to bring cars from Punjab to sell them in Darra Adamkhel market.
“He ignored repeated warnings. He would soon be punished in public to convey a strong message that there is no room for criminals in Darra Adamkhel and that they should stop their activities or leave the area”, the spokesman said.
He alleged that some Maliks were creating hurdles in the way of peace talks between the government and the local Taliban because such an agreement would end their monopoly in the affairs of the tribal areas.
Source: Dawn
Date:6/18/2008
