KOHAT, Nov 28: Tribesmen of Kohat division on Monday said they could take revenge of the killing of around 28 Pakistani army men in a Nato cross-border air strike with the government and the army’s consent.

During a news conference here on Monday, tribal elders from Kurram Agency, Orakzai Agency and Frontier Region of Kohat condemned the Nato attack and said eight million people of the mountainous region were ready to give a befitting reply to the aggressor if the government and the army asked them to do so.

They said the tribesmen won’t tolerate violation of the country’s airspace or border by the Nato or US forces in future.

The tribal elders accused the Nato and the US of criminally undermining the gains of the Pakistani security forces against terrorism and said provocative attacks by Afghanistan-based foreign forces were killing innocent people and soldiers.

They said instead of acknowledging Pakistan’s sacrifices against terrorism, the US had been blaming its defeat in Afghanistan on Pakistani army for political gains at home.

On the occasion, elders from Darra Adam Khel complained that political administration charged a tribesman Rs570 for national computerised identity card, Rs500 for domicile and Rs2,000 for transfer of Rs100,000 worth of land but didn’t ensure provision of health, education, water and sanitation facilities in the area.

In Mardan, activists of Awami National Party (ANP) and Islami Jamiat Talba (IJT) on Monday took to streets against the Nato strike in Mohmand Agency.

Led by district president Dr Farooq Akram Khan, ANP workers staged a demonstration in front of Mardan Press Club, while IJT activists marched through the city’s different bazaars from the College Chowk to the press club.

They held banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the Nato and the US, and demanded a strong response from Pakistan to the Nato.

The protestors said the Nato attacked the sovereignty of Pakistan and violated the UN charter and international law. They said Pakistan had given more sacrifices than the US and Nato in the war against terrorism but unfortunately, they all had gone unacknowledged.

In Nowshera, people from different walks of life on Monday condemned the deadly Nato strike on a border post in Mohmand Agency and urged the government to permanently cut supplies to the foreign forces in Afghanistan.

Lawyers boycotted court proceedings against the attack declaring it a violation of the country’s sovereignty. They appealed the people to pressure the government not to restore Nato supplies passing through Pakistan.

Leaders of political parties also condemned the attack and demanded an apt response from the government and its security forces.