MIRAMSHAH, June 24: Political agent Pirzada Khan on Sunday issued a warning to the Utmanzai tribe to expel foreigners from the area.

The warning was issued when a delegation of elders of the Utmanzai tribe called on Mr Pirzada at his office here. Maulvi Mohammad Shah and Malik Sher Khan led the elders.

Officials said Mr Pirzada told the tribal elders that the government was concerned over the lawlessness and presence of foreigners in the volatile region. The political agent asked the elders to play their role in flushing out militants and eliminating their sanctuaries in the area.

The tribal elders gave an assurance that foreign militants would not be allowed to operate in the area. They said they would back government policies in this regard. They, however, said security forces should take elders of the area into confidence before initiating any action against militants in the area.

Meanwhile, the Dawar tribe in North Waziristan’s Land Mohammadkhel area gave a three-day deadline to fellow tribesmen to expel foreign militants. Otherwise, tribal volunteers will force the foreigners out of the area.

The ultimatum was given after 500 representatives of the Dawar tribe held a jirga with the agency’s political administration on Saturday. Malik Liaqat Ali Khan and Malik Aurangzeb led the jirga, an official told Dawn.

Quoting some tribal elders, the official said pro-government elders would not let foreigners to stay in Land Mohammadkhel any more and they had asked fellow tribesmen to expel foreign militants from the area within three days.

If anybody failed to meet the deadline, tribal volunteers would take action against them, the jirga unanimously decided.

The house of the violator would be burnt, a fine of Rs500,000 would be imposed on him and he would be expelled from the area, the official quoted the elders as saying.

Jubilant supporters of the tribal elders beat drums on the occasion to convey a message to supporters of foreign militants.