PESHAWAR, March 12: The Mohmand and Khalil tribes have decided to take effective steps to release their villager from the custody of Bara-based Lashkar-i-Islam chief Mangal Bagh.

Nasir Khan, a councilor of Shaikhan union council, when contacted, told Dawn that Zar Kamal, a resident of Shaikhan village had been kidnapped by militants of Mangal Bagh along with nine others on March 3 when they attacked a shrine in the village.

The rest of the kidnapped persons were released but Kamal was still in the custody of Mangal Bagh, he added. He said that people belonging to the two tribes -- Mohmand and Khalil -- had held meetings and informed the concerned elected representatives about the current situation.

The people, he said, would soon announce their strategy in a press conference and set a deadline for release of the captive.