Rockets fired

Eight rockets slammed into a remote town in Balochistan on Wednesday, coinciding with a visit of President General Pervez Musharraf to the region which is troubled by a sporadic tribal insurgency.
No damage or casualties were reported from the rocket strikes at Kohlu, 220km south-east of Quetta, where Musharraf is staying, Kohlu police official Muhammad Riaz told AFP.
Musharraf's spokesman was not available for comment but Kohlu police official Mohammad Qasim said the president was in the town addressing tribal leaders when the rockets were fired.
The quick reaction force from the Frontier Corps immediately responded and seized six more rockets, which loaded on donkeys, were also being transported for firing.
The President visited Kohlu on the invitation of District Nazim Engineer Ali Gul Sumrani Marri.
The Balochistan government had invited MPA Balach Marri, son of Nawab Khair Bux Marri, to attend the public gathering. However, Balach Marri not only refused to attend the gathering himself, but also forcibly prevented the Nazim from attending the meeting, although the Nazim was the host himself.
The host, district Nazim, was highly enthusiastic about the president's visit, for which he had also prepared an address of welcome.
The public meeting was largely attended by representatives of all the 50 sub-tribes of Marri, except sub-tribe of Balach Marri, Gazini, which is under the Nawab's oppressive control.
About 250 people, who attended the meeting, expressed their wholehearted support and admiration for President Musharraf's policies aimed at socio-economic development of Balochistan.
The president, who flew into Kohlu from Quetta at around 11:00 am stayed there for about four hours and visited the quarter guard of Mawand Rifles. He held a meeting with Balochistan levies, addressed a public gathering and also had a lunch with them.
On Tuesday two rockets were fired into Quetta after Musharraf started a three-day visit to the province to discuss development projects and address the military's Command and Staff College, officials said.
One of those rockets landed near the high-security Gulistan Road and another in the grounds of the Army Golf Club. "No casualty was reported as both rockets fell in the open places, but obviously created bangs and scared the residents," a police official told AFP.
A spokesman for the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Meerak Baloch, called newspaper offices to claim responsibility for the Quetta and Kohlu attacks.
"BLA will continue to attack the places where army generals visit as the treatment of rulers (military) towards Baloch population is like masters to slaves," Baloch said.
Nationalists in the resource-rich but restless province demand more control over natural gas and minerals, which, they say, bring few benefits to its people.
The BLA is seeking a separate state.
Militants often launch small attacks on gas, electricity and transport infrastructure in the province, as well as on security force posts but casualties are rare.