SUSPECTED ISLAMIC MILITANTS KIDNAPPED THEN FATALLY SHOT A PROMINENT PRO-GOVERNMENT TRIBAL ELDER IN A VOLATILE REGION OF NORTHWESTERN PAKISTAN ON FRIDAY, AN OFFICIAL AND A RESIDENT SAID. THE BODY OF TOTI GUL, LEADER OF THE 30,000-STRONG DAWAR TRIBE, WAS FOUND LYING ON A ROAD JUST OUTSIDE MIRAN SHAH, THE MAIN TOWN IN NORTH WAZIRISTAN, A LOCAL SECURITY OFFICIAL SAID ON CONDITION OF ANONYMITY BECAUSE HE WASN'T AUTHORIZED TO SPEAK TO JOURNALISTS. QUTUBBIDIN KHAN, ANOTHER ELDER FROM THE TRIBE, SAID GUL WAS KIDNAPPED BY ARMED MEN EARLY FRIDAY. «WE ARE CERTAIN THAT MILITANTS HAVE KILLED HIM FOR HELPING THE GOVERNMENT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM,» KHAN TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. DOZENS OF PRO-GOVERNMENT ELDERS HAVE BEEN EXECUTED BY MILITANTS ON SUSPICION OF SPYING FOR THE GOVERNMENT OR U.S. MILITARY.
