LANDI KOTAL, Nov 2: The government on Friday gave three days ultimatum to Bar Qambarkhel tribe of Bara tehsil to hand over wanted militants, expel Afghan clerics from their area and close down all torture cells or vacate the region for a possible military operation.

Notices to this effect were served on Bar Qambarkhel elders during a jirga at Shah Kas Fort in Jamrud where Mehsud Scouts commandant Colonel Jawad Zia and local political agent Mutahir Zeb were also in attendance.

MNA Hamidullah Jan Afridi led the tribal elders, while Senator Haji Khan, ANP leader Imran Afridi, former senator Nasir Khan and notables Malik Zahir Shah, Malik Shamsher, Haji Shaukat and Haji Wajid Ali accompanied him.

Sources said Colonel Jawad made it clear to Bar Qambarkhel elders that they had failed to honour all their written and verbal commitments regarding the handing over of wanted militants, the closure of private jails or torture cells, and expulsion of anti-Pakistan Afghan clerics serving in Bar Qambarkhel mosques.

They said of late, security officials declined meetings with Bar Qambarkhel elders over the possible military operation.

According to sources, four months ago, the Khyber Agency political administration had suspended all official privileges of Bar Qambarkhel elders to force them to hand over some people whose names were given to them by security officials a few months ago.Security officials had also accused some local tribesmen of harbouring militants.

The meeting is the first ever high-level contact between tribal elders of Bara and senior military and government officials after the start of a military operation in Bara on Sept 1, 2009.

Sources said the Bar Qambarkhel tribesmen were told that all entry and exit routes to their area would remain closed, while curfew would be imposed until November 5 to prevent escape of wanted militants from the area.

“The Bar Qambarkhel elders were told in clear terms to pack up and leave the area if we are not able to honour their commitment and collective territorial responsibilities because this time the government wants to establish its writ in Bara at all costs,” a source said.

Sources said the Bar Qambarkhel tribesmen were told that they would be responsible for all actions and activities of Amr Bil Marof Wa Nahi Anil Munkir, a banned outfit operating in their area.

MNA Hamidullah Jan Afridi later told Dawn that the tribal elders would consult other members of the tribe on the ultimatum.

“I believe we all will give dialogue a serious chance to resolve the matter for good,” he said.

The MNA said the jirga members would try to begin their conciliatory task from Bar Qambarkhel and if they succeeded, the process would then be extended to entire Bara and possibly to the whole of Fata.

BODIES FOUND: The security forces on Friday recovered bullet-riddled bodies of two tribesmen in Mandi Kas area of Sipah, Bara tehsil.

Identity of the tribesmen couldn’t be known.

Meanwhile, unidentified gunmen on Friday abducted two residents of Malakabad in Jamrud. The kidnappers also took away the two’s motorcycle.

The local administration registered a case against the unidentified kidnappers and began investigation.

SHELL INJURES FOUR: Four children were injured and two houses were partially damaged after being hit by stray mortar shells in Bara tehsil on Thursday.

Sources said Arshad, Shah Kees Khan, Nusrat and Mujahid received injuries when they were hit by shrapnel of a mortar shell, which fell in the playground in Chargi Dagaree area of Malakdinkhel.

They said the children, who were playing cricket when the shell landed in the playground, were shifted to a hospital in Peshawar.

Also in the day, two houses were partially damaged in Attari and Alladand villages of Kamarkhel area when two mortar shells landed there.