LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency), July 25: The Frontier Constabulary deployed in tribal areas has stopped its anti-smuggling operation and started vacating its check-posts on the Peshawar-Torkham Highway.

A government official at the Khyber House told Dawn that instructions in this respect had been given to the FC on Saturday night. He, however, said the political administration had not received any intimation from government quarters in this respect. Even the Governor’s Fata Secretariat was not informed about the removal of FC personnel.

The FC men were seen packing their belongings at the Bhagyarhi and Prangsum check-posts on the main Peshawar-Torkham Highway. The force stopped checking public and private vehicles.

The FC jawans have also stopped searching Afghan nationals at the Torkham crossing and their strength at the main gate has been considerably decreased, a political administration official posted at Torkham told Dawn.

The Khasadar force, however, continues searching vehicles for smuggled goods at the Prangsum, Bhagyarhi and Takhtabeg checkpoints on the main highway.

A Frontier Constabulary official at the Balahisar Fort in Peshawar confirmed that the force had abandoned anti-smuggling responsibilities in tribal areas and was in the process of moving to other places.

He, however, insisted that the force would continue to assist the civil administration in maintaining law and order, protecting main roads and convoys in tribal areas in addition to its primary responsibilities.

While the FC officials were tight-lipped about the reasons behind vacating checkpoints, they insisted that the exercise was being carried out on the orders of high officials. The Inter-Services Public Relations denied having any knowledge of the move.

The militia was assigned the task of keeping a vigil on smuggling routes from Afghanistan to tribal areas in August 1995 after a request was made by the Central Board of Revenue.

Tribal elders and leaders of political and religious organizations have long been demanding removal of FC checkpoints in tribal areas and sending the force to barracks.

Dozens of public transport drivers on Saturday clashed with a FC havaldar at the Prangsum check-post after he allegedly misbehaved with a woman passenger.

The scuffle led to closure of the Peshawar-Landi Kotal road for more than an hour. The road was cleared after an assurance by the political administration that the matter would be probed. Transporters had also been complaining about the alleged rude behaviour of militia jawans during checking of vehicles.