PESHAWAR, Sept 14: The Peshawar High Court Bar Association on Tuesday condemned the military operation in tribal areas and killing of a large number of people and demanded immediate pullout of the army from the South Waziristan tribal region.

A general body meeting of the association, presided over by its President Ziaur Rehman Khan, warned the authorities that the operation could lead to a civil war which would ultimately result in the abolition of the Durand Line between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The meeting constituted a three-member fact-finding committee, which would visit South Waziristan to ascertain the situation. The committee comprising PHCBA secretary-general Wali Khan Afridi and advocates Kareem Mahsud and Mohammed Khursheed, would submit its report to the association.

A joint meeting of the high court bar association and the Peshawar District Bar Association would be held on Sept 21 which would be followed by a protest demonstration. The MNAs from South Waziristan, Maulana Abdul Malik and Maulana Merajuddin, will also be invited to the meeting.

Through a unanimously-adopted resolution, the meeting disputed the government claim that foreign militants had been killed in the military action, and stated that only civilians had been killed in the operation.

"If only the militants have been killed in the operation then why their bodies have not been shown on TV," the meeting asked. The speakers said people had started migrating from the troubles areas as bombardment and missile attacks had resulted in the killing of a large number of innocent people.

Speaking on the occasion, senior advocate Qazi Mohammad Anwer said if security forces had been targeting only the foreign militants then why they were reluctant to allow independent journalists from visiting the area.

He warned the authorities that there would be numerous repercussions of the ongoing operation which could escalate into a civil war. No sane person could support the brutal military operation, he added. Abdul Lateef Afridi in his speech said that the six-month-long operation was started on the pretext of flushing out foreign elements from the area.