PESHAWAR, March 9: The government on Tuesday decided to use force to flush out Al Qaeda militants in remote South Waziristan tribal region. "There would now be less talk and more action," said a senior government official. "The wheel has started running and it will continue to grind," remarked the official.

The decision, said this official, was taken at a meeting at the Governor's House here. Governor Lt-Gen Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah presided over the meeting that was also attended by senior security and administration officials.

"It was a review meeting to discuss the situation in South Waziristan and consider the future course of action," the official said. The decision marks a change in the government's approach which has hitherto been stressing the need for involving tribes in the hunt for Al Qaeda militants in the region.

The official said that it appeared that the tribes were buying time to fend off a possible operation by the government. "They are just wasting time," he said.

"We have said that foreign militants have no business to use our soil. They either have got to surrender or leave the place. They have no other option. We intend to send out a very strong message."

He said that the political administration in South Waziristan had been asked to gear itself up for more action. "The administration there has been asked to prepare for action. The time for holding jirgas is running out", the official said.

He said that additional paramilitary force had already been sent to South Waziristan and more troops would be sent in due course depending on the situation.

The official said that the Pakistan army had also been approached for regular troops but that they would be used only as a stand-by force. However, another official said that doors of further dialogue with tribesmen had not been completely shut.

"Channels of communication with tribesmen will remain open but, at the same time, there will be no let-up in action against foreign militants too," he said.

The change in approach came as authorities in South Waziristan struggled to make last-ditch efforts to persuade Zalikhel tribesmen to get those of their clansmen who are suspected of sheltering and helping foreign militants.

Efforts to bring influential Zalikhel tribesmen on board hit snags when three of the six tribal elders refused to be released from the infamous Dera Ismail Khan Central Prison on bail.

A tribal source said that three of the six men detained last week after they failed to reach an agreement on a commander for tribal volunteers had informed the authorities they would rather undergo detention than become part of any action against their own people.

Their refusal delayed once again a jirga of the Zalikhel tribe, the largest among the Ahmadzai Wazir tribesmen inhabiting South Waziristan. The authorities had agreed on Monday to let go the six tribesmen in exchange for support for a tribal Lashkar to hunt down five fellow tribesmen accused of supporting Al Qaeda militants.

Also on Monday, the authorities had de-sealed hundreds of shops belonging to the tribe in Azam Warsak to enable armed tribesmen to gather there and carry their weapons outside Wana. But the deputy administrator of Wana, Mr Rehmatullah Wazir, played down latest problems in persuading the tribesmen to agree on forming the tribal lashkar and the refusal by three influential tribesmen to become part of the exercise.

"They can't just run with the hare and hunt with the hounds," Mr Wazir said of the three tribesmen. "They cannot sit on the fringes and let others do the job for them. I have put them on notice and I have told them that I will formally charge them with abetting Al Qaeda if they don't join others in the search for foreign militants," Mr told Dawn by phone from regional headquarters in Wana.

He sounded optimism that tribesmen would come around and agree on launching the Lashkar to hunt down fellow clansmen who were helping Al Qaeda and turn over foreign militants. "These are small irritants and I hope that these would be overcome in a day or two," he said.

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
Updated 29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

It is clear that going after militant groups inside Afghanistan unilaterally presents its own set of difficulties.
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...