PESHAWAR, Oct 21: People of a remote forest area in Upper Dir have urged the government to secure the release of 32 people held hostage by leader of the defunct Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat Muhammadi, Haji Mohammad.

Noor Mohammad, a representative of the families of the hostages from Dog Darra said that the government had taken no action against Haji Mohammad even after several newspapers had published reports about the setting ablaze of 36 houses, a Unicef-run school and 29 cattle pens.

He said that Haji Mohammad had attacked two villages, Shatkus and Ghazighae, on Oct 14, adding that he had set afire several houses after encircling the villages.

Haji Mohammad, he said, maintained a private militia comprising Afghan and Pakistani militants.

Mr Rehman said that at least 52 persons, including women and children, had been taken hostage, adding that 20 of them were later released.

"The remaining hostages are huddled in a small house." He said that 930 cattleheads were killed in the fire.

Haji Mohammad, he said, had now warned 34 more households, asking the families to surrender to him.

Haji Mohammad had gained publicity a few years ago after he started 'enforcing' Shariat in the Dog Dara valley and was reported to have established his personal 'court'. He is said to have 'punished' several persons by setting ablaze their houses a few years ago. He is also charged with firing rockets at offices of a project funded by the European Union.

Mr Rehman said that although several FIRs had been registered against him, but the police appeared to be reluctant to take any action against him, adding that several jirgas had been held but he was in the habit of deviating from his commitments.

Referring to a feud between their families, he said that Haji Mohammad had killed his uncle, Haji Baz Mohammad Khan, in 1995, adding that his family had accepted a jirga-negotiated settlement. He said that some of his relatives had been killed after the issue was settled. Other people killed by Haji Mohammad included Haji Mohammad Anwer, Badshah Wali, Haji Hakeem Khan and Gulsun Taj.

He accused the local administration of concealing facts from provincial government and said that the government intended to launch an operation against him but it had stopped after it was assured that the issue would be resolved through jirgas. He said that Haji Mohammad had been defying jirgas and was virtually ruling the valley through sheer use of force.

"No one can dare raise voice against that tyrant as they know the police and government will be of no help to them against him," he said. Women and children from the two villages, who had escaped during the attack, had taken shelter in different places and could not return back to the valley, he said.

He urged the government to conduct an impartial inquiry to ascertain how Haji Muhammad had acquired modern weaponry and satellite phones and from where he got funds for employing armed men.