5-day deadline given to Pak tribal jirga to turn in militants

A local administration in Pakistan's restive northwest region today gave a five-day deadline to tribal leaders to handover 24 wanted militants, warning them that the houses of the terrorists would be destroyed if they fail to turn them in.
Assistant Political Agency Bajaur Agency gave deadline to the elders of Salarzai tribe to hand over wanted militants in their area to the authorities while addressing a tribal jirga.
A list of 24 militants was given to Salarzai elders in Bajaur agency and they asked them to hand over the wanted men to the political administration within five days.
Besides elders of various sub-tribes, members of Salarzai Peace Committees and senior officials of Bajaur Scouts attended the jirga.

The assistant political agent said that although Salarzai tribe rendered great sacrifices to curb militancy and restore peace in the region yet the elders failed to hand over wanted militants to the administration.
The administration was disappointed with the Salarzai tribesmen for not fulfilling their collective responsibility to hand over the militants to the authorities.

Official says houses of wanted men will be destroyed after expiry of deadline.
"We are very concerned over the poor performance of the elders of Salarzai tribe," he said, adding that the elders were not taking practical steps to hand over the militants, wanted by the administration for their involvement in various terrorist activities.

He said the elders of the area should realise the situation and cooperate with the administration to flush out militants from the region.
The official also announced the names of 24 wanted militants at the jirga and handed over the list to the elders of Salarzai tribe.
Speaking on the occasion, tribal elders Malik Mohammad Younas Khan, Malik Nazimud Din Khan, Malik Abdul Nasar Khan and Malik Mohammad Jan said that they were making efforts to hand over the wanted militants to the administration.
However, they said, most of the wanted men left their homes and probably shifted to Kunar province of Afghanistan.

"We are trying our level best to trace their location. According to our information, majority of the wanted militants have gone to Afghanistan," the elders said.
They said that militant activities were reduced in almost all areas of the region.