North West Frontier Province Timeline- 2004

Month/Date

Incidents

March 18

The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) regime in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) asked the Federal Government to immediately stop the military operation in South Waziristan. "The ongoing operation in FATA has created unrest and fears among the people and it could engulf the entire region if it is not stopped forthwith," Senior Minister Sirajul Haq told the NWFP Assembly. He said that ‘invisible forces’ have created instability in tribal areas by interfering in the tribal customs and traditions and the consequences of imposing decisions on tribesmen would be detrimental.

March 21

The NWFP Law Minister, Malik Zafar Azam, said in Islamabad that the ongoing operations against the al Qaeda and Taliban in South Waziristan could lead to a civil war in the country. "The ongoing operation in Wana to clamp down on foreign elements should be stopped at once and if the operation will continue for a longer period the war could spread to other cities of the country," he said.

June 12

One civilian is killed and three others injured when a bomb exploded outside the house of a senior Frontier Constabulary official, Ghaniur Rehman Khan, at Dera Ismail Khan. Senior Superintendent of Police, Muhammad Saeed Khan, said that it would be premature to link the blast with the Wana operations.

December 25

A person is killed and eight others are injured when a bomb exploded in a shop at the Mandan Gate bazaar in Bannu. The explosion, which occured at around 12.30pm (PST), killed the shop owner, Haroon. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sikandar Khan, while speaking to journalists at a news briefing said the victim had links with the banned Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM).