LANDI KOTAL: The political administration of Orakzai Agency has asked all internally displaced persons of Khyber Agency to leave the lower subdivision of its tribal region.

The decision was made after elders of Ferozkhel, Utmankhel, Bezotkhel, Baramadkhel and Manikhel tribes of the lower subdivision where most Khyber Agency IDPs live met the officials of the Orakzai political administration.

The officials told elders that most IDPs, who recently migrated to the subdivision from Tirah valley were linked to rival militant groups and therefore, there was a fear of clashes among them to the unrest of local residents.

They also voiced concern over the killing of six IDPs from Khyber Agency in Ferozkhel area last month and said the incident could trigger violence in the area.

The officials urged the Ferozkhel elders to ask all IDPs from Khyber Agency to vacate houses and leave Orakzai Agency.

Some of around 100 displaced families living in Baramadkhel and Manikhel areas have already left for Kohat and surrounding areas, while the others are planning to follow suit.

Sources in Bara administration said most displaced families, who were told to leave the administration of Orakzai Agency, belonged to Shalobar, Malikdinkhel, Kamarkhel and Zakhakhel tribes.

Most IDPs had come to Orakzai Agency after the militants took control of their area, Tirah valley.

However, some Shalobar, Malikdinkhel and Zakhakhel families have been living in lower subdivision of Orakzai Agency for five decades and that they have been regularly paying a mutually agreed annual rent to owners of the land used by them.

According to locals, neither such families are linked to any militant group nor have they ever caused trouble in the area.

Khayal Mat Shah, an elder of Bar Qambarkhel tribe in Bara, said it was unfortunate that Orakzai Agency’s administration had asked displaced families of Khyber Agency to leave the area at a time when they didn’t get any government support for being without the formal status of IDPs.

He demanded that the Khyber Agency political administration and Fata Disaster Management Authority ensure early rehabilitation of displaced tribesmen.

NARCOTICS SMUGGLING BID FOILED: The Border Security Force on Friday foiled a bid to smuggle a large cache of narcotics from Afghanistan to Pakistan via Torkham border.

Officials in local administration said the eight kilogrammes charas concealed in ghee canisters was being smuggled in a pushcart.

They said pushcart owner was held, while owner of canisters slipped away in the crowd.