KHAR, Nov 25: Three employees of the local administration have been conditionally released by the Salarzai tribe after successful negotiations with a tribal jirga.

According to a source, the political administration had arrested more than 30 persons belonging to the Salarzai tribe during a crackdown on poppy cultivation.

The source said the Salarzai tribe kidnapped three persons of the local administration from Yakano, a hilly area of Salarzai sub-division, some 30 kilometres from here.

They demanded release of their tribesman in exchange of the three hostages as, they claimed, they had nothing to do with poppy cultivation. Sources in the local administration said the imprisoned tribesmen had been shifted to Haripur jail and their immediate release was not possible, but after an assurance given by the jirga, the tribesmen set free the three hostages.