MINGORA, Nov 4: Unidentified gunmen kidnapped 12 children from a playground in Arkot area of Matta tehsil in Swat on Tuesday.
The children were playing at the playground in front of a government school when a group of armed persons picked up all of them, sources said, adding that ages of the kidnapped children were of eight to ten years. Some of the missing children’s parents phoned Matta police station and sought help for their safe recovery.
Deputy Superintendent Police Shah Nazar told Dawn that they received the telephone calls but were unable to reach the area at the evening and take action due to security reason.
The DSP said that police were helpless to conduct investigation in the trouble-hit area, “Police activities have been restricted to the police station. I could not take chance by putting lives of less-equipped police personnel at risk. The militants are well-equipped and more in number than police,” he added.
POLICEMEN DESERTION: Owing to the growing threats to law enforcement agencies in the restive Swat valley, about 350 policemen have either deserted the force or submitted their resignations.
The growing incidents of attacks on their lives have demoralised the policemen and feel insecure in their jobs. District Police Officer Dilawar Bangash withheld their resignations and asked them to change their decision, police sources said.
Some of the policemen have been publishing advertisements in the local and regional newspapers disowning the police force. Sources said that those police personnel used to send the cutting of newspapers to local Taliban leadership to clarify their position.
DRESS CODE FOR NURSES: The administration of Saidu Sharif District Headquarters Hospital has issued directivesto the nursing staff to wear veils and keep their cell phones switched off during duty hours.
According to a notification issued by Medical Superintendent Dr Lal Noor the nursing staff has been directed to wear veil in accordance with Islamic Sharia and keep their cell phones switched off during duty hours.
Hopital sources said that the orders were displayed on the notice boards in front of all the concerned departments of the hospital on Tuesday.
FIVE KILLED: Five persons including a police constable were killed and six other sustained injuries in different incidents in Swat district on Tuesday.
The body of policeman Shamsul Qamar son of Sher hassan of Dargai was found in Alam Gang area. The deceased was kidnapped from Allahabad area of Charbagh on Monday by unidentified persons. His bullet-riddled body was found on Tuesday morning.
In another incident unidentified persons slit the throat of Mian Gul Jamal in Nengolai area of tehsil Kabal on Tuesday and threw his body in the fields.
Meanwhile, Ayaz son of Noor Hassan was killed when two groups traded fire after exchange of hot words over a minor dispute on Tuesday. Six persons were also injured from both the groups. The injured were rushed to DHQ hospital.
The body of an elderly woman was also found along roadside. Local residents brought the body to the hospital but there was no sign of torture on her body.
In another incident, Naseebzada was killed in Sarsenai area when unidentified persons opened indiscriminate firing on him on Tuesday.k
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