KHAR, Aug 28: Tribal elders and local leaders of different political parties have demanded of the government to take immediate steps to rescue the tribal people, who have been trapped in their houses owing to clashes between security forces and Taliban in the border areas of Bajaur Agency.

MNA Syed Akhunzada Chattan told journalists here on Tuesday that scores of families were trapped in their homes when militants attacked the border villages of Salarzai tehsil five days ago.

“Most of the trapped people are women and children. They are in a miserable condition owing to fighting in their villages. Their lives will be at risk if immediate action is not taken to rescue them,” he added.

He urged the administration to take serious notice of the situation and utilise all possible means to rescue the trapped people.

The MNA also demanded of the government to provide all basic facilities to the people, who were displaced from the border areas of Bajaur owing to clashes between security forces and militants.

“The administration should establish a camp for the displaced persons. Registration of these people should also be staredt on emergency basis,” Mr Chattan said.

Talking to journalists, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Bajaur general secretary Maulana Abdur Rashid said that government should immediately end operation in the area because a large number of tribal people were suffering owing to it.

“Locals people are suffering owing to the operation as scores of civilians have been killed and injured during the past few days,” he said.

Mr Rashid said that ceasefire would not only help in rescuing the trapped people but would also provide an opportunity to them to retrieve the bodies of the civilians, who had been killed in the clashes.

He said that tribal people were facing hardships owing to clashes in the border areas of Bajaur Agency. He said that houses of poor people in the conflict areas were destroyed owing to fighting.

To a question, the JUI leader said that his party was ready to broker talks between government and Taliban to end fighting in the border areas. The government and Taliban should settle the dispute through dialogue because use of power was not a salutation, Mr Rashid said.

Tribal elder and general secretary of Awami National Party in Bajaur, Gul Afzal Khan, also demanded of the government to provide basic facilities to the displaced tribal people.