UN staff leaves Quetta after threats from Al-Qaeda in SW Pakistan        
'Pakistan Times' Balochistan Bureau

QUETTA: There is no sign of let up in clashes between the Bugti
tribesmen and the security forces near Bacha mountain of Dera Bugti district. The exchange of fire continued Wednesday as well.

One Jawan of the Frontier corps was killed and other two received serious injuries when a land mine exploded. The Jawans of the Frontier corps were busy to clear the site by defusing the land mines. Pir Koh gas field came under rocket attack while the miscreants fired seventeen rockets targeting Frontier corps check posts in Kohlu and Kahan the resident of Nawab Khair Baksh Marri.

A bomb exploded on White road Quetta city last night shattering the window pans of near by residential area. Police is investigating but no arrest has so far been made.

The staff of the UNHCR, UNDP, UNICEF, UNFP, WHO, WFO and five foreign NGOs stationed in Quetta have vacated their offices following threats hurled on telephone by elements pretending as members of Al Qaeda to stop function failing which these would be attacked. The PIA offices in Quetta also received threats on telephone.

Well informed sources told this scribe that RAW agents impersonating as member of Al Qaeda are active to create scare and uncertainty in the city for ulterior motives whereas there in no presence of Al Qaeda in Quetta.

UN Ops Stop

The operation by the UNO agencies is suspended and the staff have left for Islamabad. The security has been beefed up around their offices and the city.

Inp adds: A bomb blast rocked the city at late night and cause panic among the residents, police said.

The blast could delay the opening of UN offices in the province, which were closed for 48 hours after the UN High Commission for Refugees received a threatening call from a person who identified himself as al-Qaeda operative, sources said.

The blast took place on night falling between Tuesday and Wednesday but caused little damage, however it raised concerns among the official as well as UN circles. The incident occurred within the timeframe dubbed as deadline by the UN in which they were to evaluate the law and order situation and decide about reopening of their offices.

Episodes

Unidentified people fixed a bomb near a house located in Rahim Colony, White Road that went off late at night. Panic gripped the area after the blast that broke window panels but did not caused any damage to residents, police said.

Heavy contingent of police rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area and the experts of BDS (Bomb Disposal Squad) collected pieces of the bomb for examination.

It may me mentioned that on Tuesday United Nations closed all its offices in Balochistan after receiving a notice from its security office. The UN security office had issued a notice advising closure of all the operations in Balochistan for 48 hours. “The step was taken after a threatening call in which the called identified himself as an al-Qaeda operative and threatened to attack UN offices,” sources in the UN told inp.

According to UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator Jan Vandemoortele, the phone call
was received by the UN High Commission for Refugees on Monday.

“Al-Qaida was mentioned twice in the phone call and it was termed as a credible threat,” Vandemoortele said.

The threat was analysed and found believable which prompted the decision to close all the office.

“The offices would be reopened only after the government take necessary measures to the satisfaction of the UN top officials,” an official who requested anonymity told inp.

“The deadline has not been passed and we are waiting for orders from our superiors,” said media officer of UNDP Amna Kamal.

However, a number of other officials including UNHCR media officer Babar Baluch and staff at UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator Jan Vandemoortele’s office were not inclined to comment on the situation or the latest developments.•