PESHAWAR, July 27: The NWFP government has demanded the federal government to withdraw troops from public places in Swat and Dir districts immediately. In a letter addressed to the federal government, Chief Minister Akram Durrani said there was no need for deploying troops in the province.

The chief minister rejected a statement issued by federal Minister for Political Affairs Amir Muqam claiming that troops were sent to the area on a request made by the NWFP government.

Mr Durrani said the decision to deploy troops was taken at a high level meeting due to the worsening law and order situation in the province, but they were to be confined only in Cantt and Fortes of Mardan, Tank, Malakand and D.I. Khan and not in universities, colleges, and hospitals or other places.

He said the NWFP government and its law-enforcement agencies were fully capable of ensuring peace in the settled districts as allegedly evident from sacrifices made by police personnel.—PPI