TANK, Dec 10: Militant commander Baitullah Mehsud has asked candidates to withdraw their nomination papers for the NA-42 National Assembly seat from South Waziristan and warned them of serious consequences if they contested the election.

At a meeting held here on Monday, elders of the Mehsud tribe said that in a letter sent to jirga members, Baitullah Mehsud had stated that peaceful elections could be held in the constituency only if his seven associates arrested on charges of terrorist activities were released immediately.

They quoted him as saying that his force would subvert the election process if his demand was not met.

The elders, who met at a government compound in Tank to resolve the standoff, asked the authorities to take immediate steps, or else relieve them of the responsibility for the area.

Maulana Hassamuddin, who is a candidate for NA-42, read out Baitullah Mehsud’s letter.

“We have no option but to withdraw our nomination papers,” Maulana Hassamuddin told Dawn after the meeting.

Fifteen candidates have filed papers for the two National Assembly seats in South Waziristan Agency.

Baitullah’s warning came after the authorities refused to release his aides.

Tribal elders had negotiated a deal between the government and the Baitullah group under which the government had freed 25 suspects on Nov 4 in exchange for 247 captured soldiers.

According to the tribal negotiators, the government had to release the remaining seven suspects under the agreement.