July 15, 2007	Sunday	Jamadi-us-Sani 29, 1428

TIMERGARA, July 14: Political parties have expressed concern over the movement of army troops in the Lower Dir district and urged the government to expel Afghan refugees from the area.

The Jamaat-i-Islami organised a multi-party conference here on Saturday against the deployment of troops in the area. Leaders of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F), Awami National Party and other parties attended the conference.

Participants of the conference said the provincial government had already deployed civil armed forces in Lower Dir and Swat districts and there was no need to send regular troops to the Lower Dir district. They said Dir was comparatively peaceful and the crime rate was low in the area.

They said the presence of Afghans was a major threat to the law and order situation and the government should close refugee camps in the area. They condemned attacks on security forces.The conference urged ulema not to issue provocative statements and keep a close liaison with local military commanders. A committee was formed to appraise the local administration of concerns of area people.

Later, the participants of the conference held a meeting with district coordination officer Dr Attaur Rehman and discussed with him the situation arising after the movement of the army troops. The DCO assured them that the army would not conduct any operation and had just arrived to assist the local administration.

Our Correspondent from Mingora adds: Swat district coordination officer Syed Javed Shah has said the army troops will stay in the district till restoring law and order in the area.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, he said the local administration and the army would prepare a joint security plan to eliminate criminals from the area. He said a control room had been set up for monitoring the situation.Mr Shah said the administration would take strict action against criminals and would sign a peace agreement with local cleric Maulvi Fazlullah. He said the government would not allow any one to take the law in his hands.