KOHAT, Jan 7: Kohat region Deputy Inspector-General Dr Sultan Hanif Orakzai has said that peace committees will be constituted at the village level to curb crime and solve long-standing land disputes in all districts.

Speaking at an open kutchery at Gumbat here on Wednesday, Mr Orakzai said that crime could effectively be checked through joint efforts of the people, police and judiciary.

Stressing the need for cooperation of the local people in case of crimes like murders, thefts and extortion, he said that only in this way police could reach the criminals.

He observed that a few gangs of criminals had been active in the region for so many years because people had not shown any kind of resistance against them. "If the people unite against these criminals they can be completely eliminated from society," he remarked.