 A roadside bomb blast on Thursday wounded the top government official for the South Waziristan tribal region, officials said. South Waziristan is one of seven tribal areas located along Pakistan's northwestern border with Afghanistan that have traditionally been semiautonomous. The political agent in each territory is its main government administrator, extending the writ of authorities in Islamabad over the fiercely independent tribal inhabitants. "How independent?"
"Fiercely independent. And very tribal." |
Political agent Asmatullah Gandapur and his driver were hurt in the blast at Dabara in Tank district - just outside the lawless tribal region - where Gandapur's office is located, an official there said on condition of anonymity. He had been escorting a delegation of senators to visit a dam in region. None of the senators, who were traveling in different vehicles, were hurt. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Thursday's attack. It happened as Gandapur was returning from the visit to the Gomal dam, where the senators had been inspecting security arrangements. In October, two Chinese engineers working on the dam were kidnapped by militants. One was killed in a rescue operation by Pakistani commandos. The other survived. The self-proclaimed mastermind of the kidnapping, Abdullah Mehsud, remains at large. On Monday, the commander of forces in northwestern Pakistan threatened severe military action unless Mehsud surrenders by Jan. 15. |