PESHAWAR, June 29: The Peshawar High Court on Friday directed the Kurram Agency administration to release forthwith 11 tribal maliks arrested under the FCR failing which contempt of court proceedings would be initiated against it.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and Justice Jehanzeb Raheem was hearing a contempt of court petition. It observed that despite directives of the high court issued in May, the authorities had failed to release the detainees.

Malik Janan, Malik Zahoor, Malik Mazda Jan and others were arrested on the order of Lower Kurram Assistant Political Agent Dost Mohammad on Feb 17.

The administration claimed that it arrested the detainees because they were instigating the general public against the re-demarcation between the Kurram Agency and Hangu district.

A bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice Tariq Pervez Khan and Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan had on May 9 ordered the administration to release them on furnishing surety bonds.

The bench on Friday asked the administration’s counsel Iqbal Durrani why had they not been obeying the court orders. The counsel contended that the detainees had been a threat to public order.

Barrister Masood Kausar appeared for the detainees and contended that they had approached the administration, but the authorities did not accept the court orders. He argued that it was a clear case of contempt of the court.