ABBOTTABAD, Dec 18: The Amir of Tehrik Aman Tanawal on Monday gave an ultimatum to all non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in the Hazara Division to leave the area in two days or be ready to face the Tehrik’s activists.

There are at least 140 non-governmental organisations at present engaged in relief work in the earthquake-affected areas. Of these, 48 are foreign-based.

Mujahid Mohiyuddin accused the NGOs of spreading obscenity in the area, and warned those NGOs not heeding his call would be dealt with sternly by men from his lashkar named Ababeel.

The man is a well-known figure of the Mansehra district for his active role in the Afghan war. He is said to be an influential man of Pulhara, the most crime-ridden area of the Mansehra district. Countless cases of robbery and theft are reported from the entire district.

The threat was conveyed to the NGOs through advertisements in local newspapers and by telephonic calls to journalists. Talking to Dawn on Monday, District Police Office of Mansehra Waqas Nazir dismissed such threats and said in the past too the Mansehra police had had to cope with such situations.

He asked all NGOs working in earthquake-affected areas of Mansehra, Balakot and other areas not to get panicked and said anyone found violating the laws of the land and creating trouble would be dealt with with an iron hand.

However, taking precautionary measures, some NGOs have already shifted offices to Abbottabad while others were moving offices to Islamabad with little field staff in the area.