PESHAWAR, Jan 24: The Kokikhel tribesmen on Monday set up a protest camp outside the Cantt Railway Station as part of their campaign against what they termed illegal occupation of land by the Frontier Corps at Shahkas area of Khyber Agency.

The protesters holding banners and placards were shouting slogans against the FC to vacate the land.

“We have started observing token hunger strike camp and also displayed black banners and flags on our houses and shops to record our protest,” said Mohammad Irfan Afridi.

The tribal elders, he said, had conveyed their reservations and complaints to high ranking government officials but to no avail.

Despite several complaints and ultimatums, he lamented, the government gave least attention to their concerns over what he described the unjustified move by the law enforcement agencies.

He warned that in case of failure to get back land, they would be compelled to block Nato supplies to Afghanistan.

Following the persistent construction work on their land, he said, the tribal elders had decided to launch the protest campaign.

About 3,000 tribal people of Khataikhel would observe black day on Thursday in the area, he said and added that they would intensify their campaign against land occupation by setting up a hunger strike camps outside the parliament house and Supreme Court in Islamabad.