BAJAUR, April 28: The tribal elders and leaders of the different religio-political parties here on Saturday criticized the government for the reported US special forces led operation in South Waziristan Agency, stating that they would not allow presence of US troops on their soil.

A meeting of the elders was held here, which categorically stated that there were no Al Qaeda members in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Osama Bin Laden never took refuge in Pakistan.

The meeting was attended by Amir of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Bajaur, Maulana Mohammad Sadiq, Amir of Jamaat-i-Islami, Sahibzada Haroonur Rasheed, Amir of Jamaat Ashaat Al-Tauheed-wal- Sunnat, Hafiz Mohammad Jan, Amir of the defunct Tehrik Nifaz-i- Shariat Mohammadi, Maulana Faqir Mohammad, former parliamentarians Haji Bismillah Khan, Haji Lal Kareem and Abdul Qayyum Khan, and others.

The speakers termed the operation by special forces and searching a seminary a violation of the customs and traditions of tribal areas.

The tribal elders said on the occasion that the local law enforcing agencies could be allowed to search for any suspected Al Qaeda members in tribal areas, but they would not allow the presence of any American soldier here.

They claimed that the US forces wanted to take revenge from the tribal people for their support to the Taliban government.