MIRAMSHAH, Sept 6: The political authorities and tribal militants exchanged weapons and vehicles in the North Waziristan Agency on Wednesday as a part of implementation of Tuesday’s peace agreement, sources said.

They said that the administration returned 24 AK-47 rifles and eight pick-ups to the militants in Miramshah. The rifles and vehicles had been seized in army operations in the region.

An official said that six more vehicles would be returned to the militants.

The militants handed over three G-3 rifles, some wireless sets, berets and badges to the authorities.

According to the agreement, both the parties will return each other’s arms and communication equipments snatched in the operations.

Officials said that the authorities had abolished 11 new checkpoints and the army had evacuated outposts in the area. Now tribal Khasadar force and paramilitary troops were jointly manning old checkpoints in the agency, they added.

In a related development, the agency’s political administration removed the names of two militant commanders, Maulvi Sadiq Noor and Maulvi Abdul Khaliq, from the list of wanted men, officials told Dawn in Peshawar.

Meanwhile, tribesmen organised a peace conference in Razmak in North Waziristan Agency, which was also attended by Ulema from South Waziristan Agency.

Tribal elders and Ulema welcomed the peace deal and expressed the hope that both parties would abide by the agreement. They urged the people to cooperate with the administration to restore peace in the region.