| The political authorities of Khyber Agency released seven members of the banned outfit Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) on Saturday. The members, including a senior commander, had been arrested some five months ago when they were returning from Jamrud. They were moved to an undisclosed location. Both the LI and Bara Aman Committee had been demanding the release, which was granted after the committee said it would offer guarantees on behalf of those people. The committee members had also met Environment Minister Hamidullah Jan Afridi two days ago in Islamabad to discuss the release. The captives were handed over to the political authorities of the agency by security forces who later handed them over to the Bara Aman Jirga in Peshawar on Saturday. |