ISLAMABAD Mar 25: A pro-government tribal MNA from Kurram agency, Munir Khan Orakzai, on Thursday resented the military operation in the tribal areas and said it would only fuel the fire of armed confrontation in the area.

Talking to newsmen in the lobbies of National Assembly after staging a walkout when he was not allowed to speak again on the operation, Mr Orakzai said what was happening in Wana nowadays was against the assurances that the president Gen Pervez Musharraf had given to a large delegation of tribal legislators, who met him late last year.

He recalled the meeting of the tribal MNAs delegation with the prime minister, Zafarullah Khan Jamali, in which they informed him about the dangers of any direct military action in the tribal areas. The premier, he said, assured the delegation that he would convey their sentiments to the President since the operation was being launched by the army.

Mr Orakzai said the Fata legislators alliance with the sitting government was under duress, as they could not serve their people better if remain out of the government. He, however, made it clear that the tribal parliamentarians support to the government was on the basis of principles and they would not compromise on the very survival of tribesmen and on the question of Islamic laws.

He said the tribal parliamentarians from both pro-government camp and those belonging to MMA had advised the President in the said meeting that care must be taken while dealing with the issue of foreigners living in the tribal areas for over two decades now.

The tribal MNA said the governor announced amnesty in Wana on the advice of President but without consulting the public representatives or elders of the area.