MIRANSHAH, Aug 2: Peshawar Corps Commander Lt-Gen Safdar Hussain has said that foreign suspects and their local collaborators shifted from South Waziristan to North Waziristan after a military operation was launched last year to flush out unwanted elements from the tribal territory. Talking to a group of tribal elders, ulema and parliamentarians during a surprise visit to North Waziristan on Monday, Lt-Gen Hussain said the suspects were using the tribal areas to attack the allied forces operating in Afghanistan.

“When they face attacks from the North Waziristan border areas, they would naturally retaliate and conduct military offensives and search operations in the Pakistani territory to forestal the cross-border attacks,” he said.

He said that about 250 armymen had died in the line of duty in South Waziristan during the campaign to secure the western borders of the country. Now, the tribal elders had announced that they would boycott development schemes initiated by the army if they were not taken into confidence ahead of any future military operation in the tribal agencies, he said.

“We can withdraw troops from North and South Waziristan agencies if the tribesmen can take care of the border and check attacks from the Pakistani territory across the border,” he said.

“If we had not moved troops to the tribal areas along the Afghan border, foreign troops would have entered the areas to eliminate the terrorist elements,” he said, adding that that would have been the worst humiliation and dishonour for Pakistan.

The corps commander urged the tribal people to cooperate with the military and law-enforcement agencies to flush out suspected elements.

“The tribal chiefs and elders would be taken into confidence if a need arose to launch more military operations in the border areas,” he said urging tribesmen to clear their areas of foreigners.

“I have brought a message of peace and solidarity for you and urge you not to refuse assistance from the army,” he said. He said he was sorry for the killing of women and children during a recent clash in the Lawara Mandi area. The suspects used the women and children as shield to attack soldiers and break the cordon, he said.

“We complain to you over the announcement that tribesmen would boycott the development schemes initiated by the army and would withdraw support against the suspects and foreign elements,” he said.

“The army cannot move ahead without the assistance and support of peace-loving and patriotic citizens of the country,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, tribesman Maulvi Abdur Rehman said the tribal people had not refused support to the army and assured the corps commander of their assistance in flushing out terrorists from the agency.