US forces attack Pak post

Pakistani forces apparently did not retaliate and the target was possibly fighters crossing into Afghanistan8217;s Paktika province or North Waziristan at night.

Eyewitnesses said the Afghan and US military personnel held a local tribal shepherd, Sher Ali, and took him to a US base in Paktika.

8220;There were 16 US troops and several Afghan army soldiers who came in four vehicles and put Sher Ali in their vehicle and took him to Afghanistan,8221; said a tribesman.

He said since there was no border line between the two countries, it was possible that the shepherd mistakenly crossed into Afghanistan and was caught by the troops.

Meanwhile, under intense pressure from United States to crack down on Taliban and al-Qaeda, Pakistan has called a conference of top diplomats, including the Indian envoy, to hold a session on handling the 8220;challenging8221; situation.

A meeting of Pakistan8217;s envoys from the UN, US, Britain, China, India, Iran and Afghanistan has been convened here by Foreign Secretary Riaz Muhammad Khan on March 8 to discuss the major challenges arising out of pressure from the international community to deal with insurgents effectively.

Top of the agenda for the meeting was the mounting criticism from US and NATO countries on the continued cross-border infiltration of militants into Afghanistan.

8216;Un-Islamic businesses8217; targeted

ISLAMABAD: Bomb blasts destroyed two barber shops and a music store in Pakistan8217;s Bajore tribal agency where pro-Taliban militants, militants identifying themselves as Pakistani Taliban, have warned people against shaving off beards and selling music CDs, calling them 8220;un-Islamic business8221;. The explosions in Khar destroyed two saloons and partially damaged two others on Sunday. No one was hurt in the blast. In the second incident, a bomb planted in a music shop exploded after midnight, blowing up the shop and damaging two adjoining outlets, the Dawn reported on Monday. 8212;PTI