MINGORA, Dec 11: It is due to the government's stern action against the extremist organizations that religious fanatics have changed mode of their activities.

Instead of collecting donations from the public, they are now generating funds by adopting even illegal means.

Workers of the banned Tanzim-i-Nefazi-i-Shariah Muhammadi (TNSM) Malakand division are also lining up, especially in the hilly areas of the division.

The workers of a disbanded outfit, who were arrested in a bank robbery here in the upper Swat last week, made these revelations.

They said the government had frozen accounts of their organizations, which they termed un-Islamic action, adding that they now had no other financial resources to run their activities, but to loot the state-owned banks.

The Malakand division is indeed a strong hold of the religious-minded people who have a high respect for the religion and also abide by the principles of Islam to a great extent.

But recent activities of extremist organizations like that of the TNSM and Jaish-i-Muhammad have badly tarnished the image of peaceful and patriotic people of this remote area of the country.

Though the fanatics may be few in number, they brought a bad name to the area. The astonishing aspect of the situation is that majority of the people disagrees with these extremists, but the silence on their part is of no use unless they come up with permanent solution to the problems being created by the fanatics.

Those involved in the Chaprial Matta Swat bank robbery have admitted before the authorities that the robbery meant to generate funds for running activities of jihadi organizations.

A police source told that these people had targeted the state-owned National Bank because they considered looting of government's property a jihad.

By imposing a ban on these organizations, the government can never change the attitude of these people, therefore peace requires a thoroughly check on them. It is apparent that the organizations of the TNSM are still intact and functional, but underground.

Activists of the Jaish-i-Muhammad and other groups are there and holding meetings at secret places. It has been reported that outlaws after fleeing from Wazirstan agency are seeking new sanctuaries in the Malakand division.

Workers of the TNSM have started collecting donations from the people apparently for the families whose relatives have died or still captive in Afghanistan. But it is yet to be ascertained as to where and for what purpose these donations were being spent.

It is also difficult for the secret agencies to point out the persons having links with Al Qaeda, because all these suspects have confined their activities to the remote hilly areas.

The TNSM leadership is also planning to adopt a solid policy in order to get their Amir Maulana Sufi Muhammad released from the DI Khan jail.