TIMERGARA, Feb 15: Security forces claimed on Friday to have recovered arms and ammunitions dumped in a field at Mastorai and Kas villages of Maidan.

Briefing reporters Colonel Zulfiqar Bhatti, operational commander in Maidan, said security forces searched fields at Mastorai and Kas villages the other day after they got information from locals about dumping of arms and ammunitions in the fields.

He said one 12.7MM anti-aircraft gun, a machine gun along with 183 rounds and two hand grenades had been recovered from the fields. He said militants had dumped these weapons in the fields while fleeing the area. The Maidan operational commander said efforts would be intensified to clear the area of illegal weapons.

Meanwhile, addressing a qaumi jirga at Lal Qilla on Friday, the Maidan operational commander called upon militants to surrender to security forces. He also asked local people to equip their children with modern education and technology so that the area could be saved from destruction.

He said presence of the army was not aimed to rule this area but the only objective was to protect local people and maintain lasting peace. The operational commander said peace committees would be made functional again as they had played positive role in the past. He also asked parents to send their children to schools and colleges so that they could become doctors, engineers, lawyers and teachers. — Correspondent