MARDAN, Dec 18: Mardan District Nazim Himayatullah Mayar on Monday criticised the provincial and federal governments over the deteriorating law and order situation. He said the people of the area might take the law into their hands if cases of kidnapping for ransom were not checked by members of the law-enforcement agencies.

He referred to the cases of kidnapping of three young boys from Sheikh Maltoon area on Friday and wondered what the law-enforcement agencies were doing when the people were being kidnapped with impunity during daylight.

Three college students were kidnapped for ransom last Friday but despite the passage of 12 days no clue has yet been found.

Mr Mayar claimed that there were four notorious gangs who belonged to the Skhakot Agency and officials concerned were aware of their criminal activities but they had not been taken to task for their illegal activities.

The meeting was attended by elders of Charsadda, Swabi, Nowshera and Mardan, besides a large number of other people.

They threatened to launch an agitation movement against the provincial and federal governments and take up arms to purge the area of kidnappers and other anti-social elements if crime was not checked.

The nazim said a series of protest meetings would be held against the mounting cases of kidnapping in the four districts.

The first such meeting, he said, would be held in the Town Hall on Dec 24.