LANDI KOTAL, April 8: Authorities in Bara, Khyber Agency, have arrested seven men for defying the government ban on poppy cultivation and uprooted standing crop over an area of around 20 kanals in Loe Shalman area.

The seven men of Kalakhel tribe were arrested after their refusal to voluntarily destroy the crop. The Bara political authorities had earlier issued asking them to destroy the crop. Those arrested are Sher Azam, Iran Khan, Rahim Khan, Essa Gul, Rahim Khan and Kameen Khan. The authorities have also impounded two vehicles of the Kalakhel tribesmen.

Bara political tehsildar told Dawn that the administration would make more arrests if the Kalakhel tribesmen did not destroy their standing crop. "We will not hesitate about using force if the orders were not complied with," he warned.

In another operation, political authorities in Landi Kotal tehsil destroyed standing poppy crop in Gulab Kelle area of Loe Shalman. Residents of Gulab Kelle had cultivated the crop over an area of 20 kanals along the Kabul river.

It may be mentioned that in the same area just across the river, residents of Reney-Parchao have cultivated poppy over an estimated 1,000 canal area. Reney-Parchao is part of the Afghan territory but its residents mostly rely on health and education facilities provided to them at Landi Kotal in the Khyber Agency. Reney-Parchao residents have only recently started harvesting the fresh poppy crop.