TANK, Nov 14: Political authorities in the South Waziristan Agency arrested 22 Mahsud and Ahmadzai Wazir tribesmen on Tuesday on charges of involvement in a rocket attack on a jirga being addressed by Governor Ali Muhammad Jan Aurakzai in Wana last week, officials said.

The arrests were made mainly in the settled districts of Tank and Dera Ismail Khan under the collective responsibility clause of the Frontier Crimes Regulation.

Some of the arrests were made in Wana, the South Waziristan headquarters, the sources said.

The authorities also impounded vehicles and sealed six business outlets belonging to the Mahsud tribe in the Tank town.

The officials said that the charges under which the tribesmen were held mainly related to the attack on the governor's jirga and security forces, and blowing up of electricity towers in the area.

Under the Frontier Crimes Regulation, the political authorities are empowered to apprehend tribesmen and confiscate their property in any part of the country.