Unknown insurgents blew up two CD shops and a number of other shops in the Swabi district of the west Pakistan province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa early on November 11, RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal reports.
Local police said militants had planted explosives in the Juma Khan market in Swabi's village of Yar Hussain overnight on November 10, seemingly part of a Taliban campaign against music in northwest Pakistan and the tribal areas.
As a result of blast, two CD music shops were completely destroyed, while eight others in the market were partially damaged. No casualties were reported, as the shops were all closed and no one was present at the time of explosions.
Local police chief Alamzeb Khan told RFE/RL that the CD shopkeepers had received repeated threats from militants.
"The owners of the CD shops were receiving threats from time to time from militants to look for an alternate source of income or face terrible consequences if they did not close their CD businesses," he said.
Naseebullah, one of the CD shopkeepers, told RFE/RL that the shopkeepers were not directly threatened to close the shops.
"There was another CD market in the Yar Hussain area where the shopkeepers were receiving letters from Taliban militants to close their shops," he said. "Finally that CD market was converted into a mobile-phone market less than a year ago. As I and my other friend didn't receive direct threats, we decided to continue our business."
Naseebullah, 23, had run the CD shop for the last five years but now doesn't have the money to start another business.
Swabi district is the gateway from Punjab Province to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on a main highway.
On November 7, a local political leader, Hanif Gul Jadoon, was killed in a suicide attack along with his 6-year-old son and driver while on his way home for the Eid al-Adha religious ceremony.
Local police said militants had planted explosives in the Juma Khan market in Swabi's village of Yar Hussain overnight on November 10, seemingly part of a Taliban campaign against music in northwest Pakistan and the tribal areas.
As a result of blast, two CD music shops were completely destroyed, while eight others in the market were partially damaged. No casualties were reported, as the shops were all closed and no one was present at the time of explosions.
Local police chief Alamzeb Khan told RFE/RL that the CD shopkeepers had received repeated threats from militants.
"The owners of the CD shops were receiving threats from time to time from militants to look for an alternate source of income or face terrible consequences if they did not close their CD businesses," he said.
Naseebullah, one of the CD shopkeepers, told RFE/RL that the shopkeepers were not directly threatened to close the shops.
"There was another CD market in the Yar Hussain area where the shopkeepers were receiving letters from Taliban militants to close their shops," he said. "Finally that CD market was converted into a mobile-phone market less than a year ago. As I and my other friend didn't receive direct threats, we decided to continue our business."
Naseebullah, 23, had run the CD shop for the last five years but now doesn't have the money to start another business.
Swabi district is the gateway from Punjab Province to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on a main highway.
On November 7, a local political leader, Hanif Gul Jadoon, was killed in a suicide attack along with his 6-year-old son and driver while on his way home for the Eid al-Adha religious ceremony.
