Pamphlets warning tribesmen against harbouring militants were distributed in the South Waziristan tribal region on Saturday – a day when the authorities gave local tribesmen until April 25 to expel Taliban insurgents from their villages.
The pamphlets, titled ‘A Public Message’, were distributed by the authorities in the Wana subdivision, residents said.
“All those who are helping local or foreign militants with money or men should expel them before April 25 because these terrorists are the enemy of Islam and Pakistan,”.
“If terrorists are found anywhere in the region after the lapse of the deadline, the government will launch an operation there,” it warns.
The political administration had earlier closed down all routes to the agency, causing problems for tribesmen. The decision was taken following a surge in violence that prompted a small-scale military operation.
The routes were closed following the April 4 botched suicide attack in the area. Local tribal elders decided to hold talks with the political administration to re-open the routes.
A grand jirga of Ahmadzai Wazir tribes met with the political authorities on Saturday.
A tribal elder, who was part of the Jirga, told us on condition of anonymity that the tribesmen were serious in maintaining peace in Wana “we will convene an internal jirga to discuss the issue in detail as to what steps need to be taken before the deadline expires”.
