By IANS
Islamabad : Militants in Pakistan’s restive North West Frontier Province made another bid to destroy a rock engraved with a large image of the Buddha but locals said the statue was safe.
People living in the foothills of a hill in Swat Valley said a group of militants had asked them to vacate the area, saying they were planning to destroy the “un-Islamic idol” Saturday.
“Local people (said) that the blast did no harm to the image of the Gandhara (sixth century BC-11th century AD) period,” the Dawn Sunday said.
“Due to the precarious law and order situation in the area we are confined to the police station and could not go to the place,” the newspaper quoted a police officer as saying, even as he confirmed that the blast had taken place.
The historical site lies along the main road connecting the town of Mingora with the tourist resort of Malam Jabba. Mingora was the apex of the triangular Gandhara civilization whose base ran from the Peshawar valley across the Indus to Taxila in the Punjab.
On Sep 10, militants had exploded two devices that partially damaged the rock but the image remained safe.
After that attack, archaeologists had asked both the federal and provincial governments to protect the historical site, “but no step has been taken so far”, Dawn noted.
The Swat Valley has been virtually taken over by militants, who have been destroying CD and video shops, salons and Internet cafes.