NOWSHERA, Aug 30: A local jirga has asked the Taliban to wind up their camps and vacate the region before first Ramazan, otherwise they would take guns to quell militancy in the region.

The decision was taken at a grand jirga, held at the Police Line here on Saturday with District Nazim Daud Khattak in the chair. The jirga was attended by ministers, sitting and former legislators, nazims, councillors, political leaders, representatives of trade unions and NGOs, and police officials. The jirga adopted a unanimous resolution in this regard.

Provincial ministers Mian Iftikhar and Liaqat Shabab, legislators Masood Abbas Khattak, Pervaiz Ahmed Khan, former MNAs and MPAs including Khalil Abbas, Maulana Hameedul Haq Haqani, JUI’s general secretary Maulana Yousaf Shah, Haji Wali Mohammad Khan, Mian Jamsheduddin Kakakhel, Niab Nazim Haji Ashfaq Khan and others participated in the meeting.

Participants of the jirga presented various proposals for improving law and order situation and quashing activities of terrorists and extremists in the region. They urged complete unity among the people, asking the ulema to create awareness among people against militancy and extremism during their Friday prayer sermons.

Most of the nazims and elders were of the view that the presence of Afghan refugees in the NWFP was the main cause of militancy and raising criminal activities in the province. They suggested that the process of their repatriation to Afghanistan should be expedited on war footings.

They alleged that most of the Afghan refugees had made Pakistani national identity cards and there was no check on their movement throughout the province. They were directly or indirectly involved in criminal activities, they alleged.

Provincial Information Minister Mian Iftikhar said on the occasion that the enemy in garb of Talibanisation killed innocent Pakhtuns. He asked the people to rise against the common enemy. “To defeat terrorism and extremism is not the duty of one party or provincial government rather it’s the duty of the whole nation to join hands against the terrorists,” he said and added: “Our children, women, elders and even legislators were not safe. If we remained salient on this naked aggression, our future generation would not pardon us.”

Taxation Minister Liaqat Shabab said that maintenance of law and order in the province was the first priority of the government as peace was vital for progress and development. “Without peace, we can’t achieve our goals and targets. We have to take the province forward as promised with the voters and in this regard no stone would be left unturned,” he added.

The minister said militancy was a big challenge, hoping that the ANP-led government with the cooperation of the people would defeat the enemies of the people.

DPO Nowshera Yamen Khan said peace committees would be established at the muhallah and ward levels, adding police would provide latest arms and special cards to the members of the committees. They could be able to use the weapons at night.

District Nazim Daud Khattak said that at this critical juncture “we all have one common enemy -- the terrorists. The time is ripe to take guns and fight against them. They are out to kill us without any reason”. He urged unity and tranquillity “the only way out of the present scenario”.