Building of defiant head of 'Lashkar-e-Islam' blown up

Political authorities on Monday blew up a commercial building of the defiant head of 'Lashkar-e-Islam', in the main market of Tehsil Bara, Khyber Agency as business activities remained closed for second day.
Dr Tashfeen Khan, the political administrator of the tribal agency was supervising the operation. The political agent was also accompanied by Commandant, Masood Scouts, Mehmood Raza and other officials of the political administration.
The three-storey building belonging to Mangla Bagh Afridi, head of the Islamic movement was comprising of 25 shops located at the New Market Chowk was razed to the ground after administration planted powerful explosive under the building. The explosion also damaged the nearby medicine stores.
Political authorities said that the operation of razing shops would continue until Mangla Bagh and some other 'miscreants' surrender unconditionally. "The action has been taken under the collection responsibility act of the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR)," Additional Secretary Security Fata, Sikander Qayyum told a private TV channel.
The official said that several shops located in the renowned Bara market, properly known as Karkhano market, car showrooms on the University Road and two petrol pumps on the Kohat Road belonging to the peace committee members were also sealed.
Meanwhile, Mangla Bagh Afridi, head of the Lashkar-e-Islam has demanded an independent inquiry into the development taking place in the Khyber Agency. "The government should come up with a peaceful solution to the grievances of the Afridi tribesmen before it was 'too late'," he said while talking from his hideout in Gogrina, Landikotal.
He said that the political authorities committed mistakes time and again in handling the situation in Bara. The situation in Khyber Agency is tense after the emergence of the two groups led by Mufti Munir Shakir and Pir Saif-ur-Rehman since December last year. 29 people have been killed since the expulsion of both rival religious leaders from the area.
Last month, Mangla Bagh, left Bara for far-flung Tirah valley of the agency and in his absence the political administration demolished the FM Radio Tower of the group. The group has recently shifted to Gogrina, Landikotal and established its headquarters.
The situation took a new turn when the Lashkar suddenly again arrived in Bara and closed the whole market on the pretext of constituting peace committee for the area. The political administration reportedly warned the group of its activities and expulsion from the area, but it refused.