PESHAWAR, Sept 1: NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah has said that poppy cultivation will not be allowed in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

This he said while presiding over a meeting held to discuss the law and order situation in Fata here on Monday.

The governor also directed the political authorities to ensure complete implementation of the ban on poppy cultivation and necessary measures must be taken to eradicate the menace. The violators of the ban would deserve no leniency and would be dealt with in accordance with the law, he added.

Mr Shah expressed grave concern over the incidents of kidnapping for ransom, saying that despite having made stringent measures, the re-occurrence of such incidents pointed that loopholes existed, which must be plugged.

The governor also stressed that the hideouts of proclaimed offenders in Fata must be uprooted. He directed the political agents that they must make effective and coordinated efforts to apprehend the criminals and award them punishment under the law.

Mr Shah also stressed the need for ensuring effective surveillance system on borders, saying that apart from curbing smuggling, they must also curb unlawful movements on the borders and all the policies must be implemented strictly in this respect.

The registration process of all non-custom paid vehicles had been completed, no un-registered vehicle should be allowed to ply on the roads, Mr Shah said. He said all un-registered vehicles should be taken into custody.

He also made it clear that no restriction had been imposed on possession of arms in the tribal areas, however, he added that carrying and display of arms in bazars had been banned.

The meeting, besides Chief Secretary Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, Secretary Home Abdul Karim Qasooria, IGFC Maj-Gen Hamed Khan, Commandant Frontier Constabulary Israr Ahmad Shinwari, Secretary Fata Security Brig Mehmood Shah and Secretary to Governor Sahibzada Saeed Ahmad, was also attended by the political agents and DCOs of all the tribal agencies and FRs.

Earlier, the political agents of all the tribal agencies and DCOs of FRs apprised the meeting about the prevailing situation with regard to kidnapping for ransom, smuggling and poppy cultivation, progress on the implementation of the ban on carrying and display of arms, besides the law and order situation in their areas.