By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistani Taliban have stepped their activities in parts of the country and have taken over the control of the booster of the state-run television and kidnapped police men from a police station, witnesses and police said Tuesday.
Armed Taliban occupied booster of PTV in the restive Bajaur tribal region and spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban Maulvi Umar said the booster is still in their control.
The authorities had formed a jirga or council of tribal elders to negotiate with the Taliban to end occupation of the booster but failed to convince Taliban.
In another development Taliban kidnapped around 30 police men from a police station in the violence-hit Swat Valley, Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said.
Khan said the policemen were kidnapped after armed Taliban surrounded a police station in Deolai area early morning. They were taken to an unknown disclosed location.
He said Taliban will exchange policemen with their prisoners and after demand for the withdrawal of troops from Swat valley is accepted.
The security forces started search of the policemen but there has been no report about their whereabouts.
The spokesman said that the government in North West Frontier Province had promised in a peace deal in May to free all Taliban prisoners and to gradually withdraw troops.
But he said that both commitments have not yet been honored by the government.
The authorities suspended anti-polio campaign in parts of Swat after suspected Taliban beat polio teams.
Taliban had earlier allowed polio vaccination campaign in the area but authorities said that members of polio teams were beaten in Matta and Kabal areas of Swat.
The campaign was launched on Monday after two polio cases were reported in Swat as polio vaccination campaign could not be launched in Swat due to years of violence.
The army launched military operation last year against the militants who had been involved in attacks against the security forces.
The violence had claimed over 300 people, most security personnel.
Taliban have burnt and blown up some 50 girls school and government buildings in a month and Taliban leader Maulana Fazalullah defended destruction of girls schools in a press conference on Sunday.