KHAAR (Bajaur Agency), Dec 8: Chief of the Salarzai tribe and Chairman of the Tribal Peace Committee Shahabuddin Khan was released on parole from Haripur jail on Thursday to attend the funeral of his brother Salahuddin Khan who died of cardiac arrest on Wednesday.

Mr Shahabuddin, who belongs to the Awami National Party, had been arrested last week on charges of harbouring terrorists, having links with Al Qaeda, instigating tribesmen to grow poppy and kidnapping Bajaur Scouts personnel.

Speaking at the funeral, Shahabuddin denied the charges, saying that he was being punished for demanding reforms in the system being practised in the tribal areas.

He said that the political authorities were out to gag his voice and had got him arrested on baseless charges.

The funeral of Mr Salahuddin, who was the deputy chairman of the peace committee, was attended by ANP leaders Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Bashir Bilour, Mian Iftikhar Hussain and Latif Afridi, Pukhtunkhwa Qaumi Party President Afzal Khan and other political and religious personalities.

No official of the political administration and the Bajaur Scouts was present at the funeral.

Sources said that the Salarzai tribesmen had asked the political authorities not to attend the funeral.

Speaking on the occasion, the ANP leaders criticized the political authorities ‘for meting out inhuman treatment to the tribal people.