KOHAT, March 9: The NWFP home department issued an ultimatum on Saturday to the tribesmen of Darra Adam Khel to hand over the 30 most wanted criminals and terrorists to the political authorities within one week or get ready for any extreme action, it has been officially learnt.

Earlier, the assistant political agent of Darra Adam Khel, an alleged hideout of car hijackers, kidnappers, fake currency dealers and murderers, had arrested 34 murderers and car hijackers wanted by the Peshawar, Nowshera and Punjab police.

APA Shafeerullah Wazir told Dawn on Saturday that most of the criminals were handed over to the Peshawar and Nowshera police after interrogation by a team comprising officials from Inter-Services Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau and political authorities. Efforts were underway to identify the arrested persons.

The authorities have now asked the local tribal chief, former National Assembly member Mohammad Aslam Afridi to hand over the 34 locals identified as heads of the gangs of car hijacker and kidnappers. Demand has also been made for the arrest of the tribesmen harbouring criminals.

He said that those found harbouring criminals would be fined Rs100,000, expelled from the area and their houses would be demolished under the tribal customs.

He alleged that the tribesmen were trying to protect the local criminals.

He said the interior ministry had decided to slowly legalise the arms and ammunition manufacturing industry in Darra Adam Khel and asked the dealers to sell the weapons only to those buyers who possessed licenses.

The dealers have also been asked to keep record of the arms sold and register the name of the buyer.

He said that as a step towards providing alternate jobs to the arms manufacturers a factory had started manufacturing copies of British-era guns, which were on display in Islamabad and had attracted foreigners.