PESHAWAR, May 4: A gathering of tribal elders, educationists, lawyers and activists belonging to Khyber Agency took place at Landi Kotal on Sunday under the banner of the National Democratic Consultative Process.

Dost Mohammad presided over the meeting while National Democratic Consultative Process Convener Afrasiab Khattak was the chief guest on the occasion, says a press release.

Mr Afrasiab Khattak spoke at length on the national, regional and international scenario with a particular reference to tribal areas and Pukhtunkhwa.

He apprised the gathering about the importance of the consultative process and stressed the need of such meetings in view of a new world order.

An elder, Jamaluddin Khan, on the occasion emphasised the role of the Federally Administrated Tribal Area in the regional trade.

He urged the government to declare the tribal belt a free trade zone for the socio-economic development of the region.

Another speaker, Asad Afridi, demanded immediate introduction of the political and administrative reforms in Federally Administrated Tribal Area.

Other speakers on the occasion demanded of the government to include Federally Administrated Tribal Area in the National Finance Commission Award on the basis of its population.

The gathering also unanimously condemned statements of President Gen Pervez Musharraf about the presence of Al-Qaeda operatives and Osama bin Laden in tribal areas.

They were of the view that Gen Musharraf is giving bad name to the people of Federally Administrated Tribal Area, and said several high-profile Al-Qaeda operatives were arrested from different urban centres of Punjab and Sindh.