UPPER DIR, Oct 28: The government has decided to remove Scouts’ checkpoints which were set up in Upper Dir on Saturday to prevent militants from entering the Upper Dir district.

The checkpoints were at Surpul Wari and Darora.

Local elders and political leaders who had opposed the eastablishment of the checkpoints fearing reprisals from militants, welcomed the government move.

“The elders are themselves concerned about the possible entry of militants into the area and they have assured us that no terrorist would be given sanctuary here and peace would be maintained at any cost,” a police official said.

The government had planned to set up 25 checkpoints along the Upper Dir-Swat border to stop militants from Swat crossing into the area for a safe refuge, the sources said.

They said the decision to remove the checkpoints was taken after Upper Dir DPO Awal Khan Safi told the administration that deployment of the force in the area might lure terrorists to the area to launch attacks on security forces and create a law and order situation here.

On the advice of the DPO, the sources said, the IG police requested the IG Frontier Corps to vacate the checkpoints in Upper Dir to avert any incident which might affect peace in the district.