Peshawar: Pakistani security forces launched a major operation against the miscreants in Khyber Agency near Pak- Afghan border after many days of clashes and tension in the area.
Eyewitnesses told media persons that Frontier Constabulary forces have taken positions and fired mortar shells on many hideouts of the miscreants that have been terrorizing the residents by killing and kidnapping each other.
A group of militants called Lashkar Islami (Army of Islam) led by a driver-turned-religious leader Mangal Bagh, is active for past one year or so. He had emerged after sectarian clashes between a Muallah and a Peer. The clash had resulted in the death of several hundred people.
Mangal Bagh’s militants recently extended their hostile activities to Peshawar, capital of Pakhtunkhwa, the North Western Frontier Province, and fears have grown that the city will fall into their hands.
Residents of the area believed that Mangal Bagh had support of the government but then occurred his clashes with government-backed tribes that too resulted in many casualties and forced residents to leave the mountainous area.
This operation, first major offensive by the new PPP-led government, is launched after Mangal Bagh freely recruited an army of young men and established his control from Bara to Terah, to Peshawar. A similar policy was adopted by the previous government in Swat, Waziristan, Bajaur and Mohmand agencies and even Islamabad, where the forced first let the militants to establish their own writ and then the forces launched operations against them. Then both sides entered in peace deals after hundreds of people had lost their precious lives.
On the same time there are growing fears that Peshawar will soon fall into the hands of the militants so, according to the officials, an operation in Peshawar is likely to begin. It means that the militants have now strong presence in the city. If the militants took the city in their hands, it will be catastrophic for the whole country.
As fear and uncertainty prevails in Peshawar, people are preparing to leave for some safe place. Every morning you will see men in the streets asking each other "What has happened? What will happen? Have the Taliban reached the city?"