LANDI KOTAK, June 8: The authorities are pressurising elders of Zakhakhel tribe to support some of their co-tribesmen in the armed struggle against banned militant outfit Lashkar-i-Islam, sources say.

“The Zakhakhel elders have been engaged in consultations for the last four days to devise a mechanism to extend all out support to the armed group, which has recently rebelled against the banned militant organisation,” they added.

A prominent Zakhakhel elder, requesting anonymity, told Dawn that local political administration and new commandant of Khyber Rifles wanted them to assist their co-tribesman in Bazaar-Zakhalhel area in their armed campaign against Lashkar-i-Islam (LI).

A group of powerful Zakhakhel commanders rebelled against their leader Mangal Bagh after the later allegedly kidnapped and later killed a prominent cleric of the area in March last. Since then the two groups have been fighting against each other.

“The administration wants us to assist the volunteers of newly formed Zakhakhel lashkar monetarily against LI,” the elder said. He added that they told commandant of Khyber Rifles and political administration to first ensure safety of all tribal elders against different armed groups as only then they would be in a position to take a final decision regarding assisting the lashkar.

“The new lashkar is also consisted of LI rebels and can transform into a militant group if given free hand.

A final decision will be taken only when all the four prominent Zakhakhel elders -- Malik Darya Khan, Malik Abdul Haleem, Khan Malik and Malik Razaq -- meet in coming days,” he said.

Another member of Zakhakhel jirga, privy to correspondence between officials and tribal elders, told Dawn that it was the same group, which facilitated LI to establish bases in Gogrina area of Bazaar-Zakhakhel after security forces expelled Mangal Bagh and a handful of his supporters from Nala area of Bara in 2004.

“How can we repose trust in such untrustworthy people,” he asked.

The government, he said, wanted to blackmail us in the name of restoring peace and dislodging Mangal Bagh from Zakhakhel area.

“We do want peace but it is the responsibility of government to dislodge and defeat all militant groups,” he said.

Another local elder said how they could even dream of peace when the government prevented them from carrying light arms for personal protection but on the hand it allowed heavily armed volunteers of Zakhakhel lashkar to roam freely in their streets and bazaars.