700 Pakistani Policemen Sacked for Failing to Report to Work

[tekisui]

Source: The Peninsula

PESHAWAR: Pakistani authorities sacked more than 700 policemen who failed to show up for work after they were threatened by a militant leader in the famed Khyber tribal region, an official said yesterday.

“A total of 715 Khasadar (tribal policemen) refused to report to duty after a threat by a militant leader. I have terminated their service,” Tariq Hayat, the top administrative official in the tribal district, said.

Until last week, there were about 2,500 tribal police in Khyber. Hundreds of them in the lawless district that borders Afghanistan were given 24 hours’ notice to report but 715 failed to do so, the senior official said. Authorities sacked 358 tribal policemen on Sunday and another 357 yesterday, Hayat said. “All these refused to come to the office for duty,” Hayat said, adding that he would advertise for new recruits.

Militant commander Mangal Bagh, who has ties to the Taliban, used a radio broadcast to threaten that lawmakers, army soldiers and paramilitary troops who did not resign would see their homes demolished and face other harsh penalties.

Hours after his speech Thursday, militants blew up three houses belonging to Khasadars, residents said.

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