PESHAWAR, Oct 9: Hundreds of people belonging to different villages of Daudzai here on Thursday joined the rural circle police in a peace march against militants.

The villagers were led by SP Rural Nasirul Mulk Bangash, DSP Abdul Kalam Khan, nazims of various councils including Iqbal Khan, Nisbatullah Khan, Imtiaz, councillors Ibadat Khan, Mohammad Rafiq, Qari Hanifullah and Javaid Khan.

The personnel of Frontier Constabulary also accompanied the police, who were armed with light and heavy weapons and armoured personnel carriers.

The people armed with different kinds of weapons started the march from Mamo Khatko and went through the localities of Tamas Banda, Karyana, Katak Lakhtay, Sarkhanai, Shagai Bala, Piari, Dherai Kalay and Sher Kalay.

The elders including the elected representatives, while speaking on the occasion said that militants had made lives of the innocent miserable in different areas and they were not ready to be left at the mercy of the militants.

They pledged to fully support the security forces against the militants and maintain peace in their respective areas. The people announced that no one in the area would support criminals and would discourage them.

SP Rural Nasirul Mulk said that residents of the area could play a vital role in maintaining peace in their villages and asked them to come forward and extend support to the law enforcement agencies against militants.

They also warned that anyone providing shelter to anti-social and anti-state elements would not be spared and would be dealt with iron hands.

Meanwhile, a city police spokesperson said the police in the city areas had arrested 14 proclaimed offenders and recovered 12 Kalashnikov rifles, three Kalakovs, 72 pistols, three rifles, 12 repeaters, eight hand grenades, 1,372 cartridges, 30 kilogramme hashish and other contraband items from their possession.