Pak Taliban take Peshswar govt building hostage, flee on security forces' arrival

Lahore, Sept 14 : The Pakistan's unit of the Taliban, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) made their presence felt in Peshawar city when around 100 of them took hostage a municipal building, though briefly, late last night.

The Taliban terrorists, who were said to be heavily armed, fled on the arrival of paramilitary troops without putting up a fight, the Daily Times quoted police sources as saying.

"We have vacated the building and freed the hostages but the militants have managed to escape," said Peshawar Police Chief Sulaiman Shah.

Frontier Constabulary and Frontier Corps troops were sent to the area after media reports that a cook and several watchmen had been taken hostage. It was not clear what the demands of the terrorists were and how many people were in the building when it was captured, added the paper.

NWFP police chief Malik Naveed denied reports of hostage taking and a gun battle.

He said the terrorists had fled to the Shahkash area of the Khyber Agency and that a search operation involving security forces and the political administration had begun. He hoped arrests would be made by Sunday (today).

In the recent past, newspaper reports had warned that Taliban terrorists had been increasing their activity and influence in and around Peshawar.

ANI