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       DERA ISMAIL KHAN/LAKKI MAR-WAT: Five terrorists were killed and two others injured in an exchange of fire with security forces in Dera Ismail Khan district on Friday, officials said.

       They said security forces had carried out an intelligence-based operation on a tip-off in the Maddi area, adding that five militants were killed and two others injured in the crossfire.

       An official statement issued by the mi--litary’s media wing said that Shafiullah alias Shafi was the ringleader, adding that security forces effectively engaged the terrorists’ location during the operation.

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       The ISPR statement said that security forces recovered weapons and ammunition from the deceased possession, adding that the terrorists had remained actively involved in militant activities against security forces and targeted killing of innocent civilians.

       Jirga sets 24-hour deadline for release of kidnapped PAEC contractors

       On the other hand, a grand Marwat Qaumi Jirga on Friday gave a 24-hour de--adline to the government for the recovery of contractors working on a Pakistan Ato-mic Energy Commission project. These workers were kidnapped a day earlier.

       The deadline was given at a meeting held at a school ground in the Dallokhel area near Lakki Marwat city. Elders from Aba Shaheedkhel and Begukhel tribes also attended the meeting.

       The jirga was held against the backdrop of the abduction of 16 private workers and their driver from Lakki-Darra Tang road by armed militants. The kidnappers had taken them to an unknown location. They set on fire their coach in a forested area along Kurrum River.

       After the incident, security forces and police launched a rescue operation and recovered eight of the kidnap victims.

       The jirga condemned the incident and termed it the government’s failure, asking the authorities to take steps for the safe recovery of the kidnapped workers. “We have gathered on a single point agenda to share the locals’ concerns with the government…[and to] secure safe release of all [the] remaining kidnapped employees,” an elder said.

       He claimed that the kidnapped men were affiliated with a public sector organisation which should join the Marwat elders in their efforts to secure their safe release.

       Some elders proposed to form a committee to hold a meeting with the district administration to pave the way for the recovery of workers.

       Naseer Turab, an elder, said that the jirga had set a 24-hour deadline for the government to free the kidnap victims, adding that they would chalk out a future line of action in the next meeting if the workers did not return.

       The elders expressed deep concern over the deteriorating law and order situation and regretted that the abduction incidents were taking place in broad daylight. They said that local residents would have to take steps for their protection since the law enforcement agencies had failed to protect them.

       Former MNA Amirullah Marwat, MPA Johar Muhammad Khan, engineer Lat-if-ullah Khan of the Awami National Party, Inayatur Rehman of Aba Shaheedkhel jirga and Naser Turab spoke on the occasion.

       Former tehsil nazims Faridullah Khan and Haji Hidayatullah Khan, former district councilors Fawad Ahmad Khan, Irf-an-ullah Khan and Hanifullah and other elders were also present at the meeting.

       Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2025