KOHAT, April 21: Office-bearers of the All Pakistan Coal Mines Federation have demanded early recovery of their five collogues kidnapped from Kohat and Orakzai Agency some 10 days ago.

The federation leaders alleged that their recovery was being delayed due to an old territorial dispute between the tribal administration of Orakzai Agency and district Kohat.

They were kidnapped from the Kachai area of Kohat and Chappar Mushti and Shekhan tribal territories of the Orakzai Agency on April 11.

Hundreds of mine workers staged a protest on Friday in front of the Abdul Ali checkpost in Raisan after the expiry of a three-day deadline given by them to the political administration of Orakzai Agency and Kohat police.

They demanded the arrest of elders of Shekhan, Mushti and Kachai to put pressure on them for the release of abductees. They gave another three-day deadline to the government and warned that if the victims were not recovered they would block the Kohat-Hangu road.

Addressing the protest meeting, the APCMF leaders said that coalminers belonging to the Kurram Agency, Hangu and Darra Adam Khel had assured their participation in the protest.

When contacted, the Ustarzai police said that two men, including Said Mohammad, son of a contractor, were kidnapped from the Kachai area, while three others were abducted from the disputed border area.