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MARDAN: Security personnel claimed to have arrested 20 suspects including killers of noted religious scholar and psychiatrist Dr Mohammad Farooq Khan during a search operation in various villages of Katlang area here Friday.
The security forces launched search operation in various villages of Mardan, including Katlang, Bakhshali and Rustam towns last Monday. Around 1,300 villagers, including farmers, shopkeepers, government employees, students and daily wagers were rounded up during the operation and held in government schools, which were turned into temporary detention centres.
Some of them were later released while many others are still in forces’ custody. Security officials said that 30 more people, some of them suspected militants, had been arrested. The sources added that the security forces Thursday announced on loudspeakers of the mosques of Shakrai Baba, Lekpani, Shamoza and Shakar Thangi villages and ordered the people to relinquish the weapons of prohibited bore and other heavy arms and explosive materials and non-custom paid vehicles.
As a result, some people of the mentioned villages Friday handed weapons over to the security forces. Local sources said fresh contingents of the Pakistan Army were sent to rural areas of the district. Security forces set up more checkpoints at different roads in the mentioned villages.
20 arrested in Mardan operation
The security forces launched search operation in various villages of Mardan, including Katlang, Bakhshali and Rustam towns last Monday. Around 1,300 villagers, including farmers, shopkeepers, government employees, students and daily wagers were rounded up during the operation and held in government schools, which were turned into temporary detention centres.
Some of them were later released while many others are still in forces’ custody. Security officials said that 30 more people, some of them suspected militants, had been arrested. The sources added that the security forces Thursday announced on loudspeakers of the mosques of Shakrai Baba, Lekpani, Shamoza and Shakar Thangi villages and ordered the people to relinquish the weapons of prohibited bore and other heavy arms and explosive materials and non-custom paid vehicles.
As a result, some people of the mentioned villages Friday handed weapons over to the security forces. Local sources said fresh contingents of the Pakistan Army were sent to rural areas of the district. Security forces set up more checkpoints at different roads in the mentioned villages.
20 arrested in Mardan operation