MANSEHRA, March 16: Tribesmen belonging to the tribal area of Kala Dhaka have been warned not to cultivate the poppy crop in the area as its cultivation is against the law of the land and Islamic injunctions.

Speaking at a jirga of the elders of Oghi here on Sunday, Political tehsildar, Mohammad Jamshaid Khan, said that the growers of the poppy would be dealt with iron hands including destruction of the grown-up crop.The jirga members, including Mohammad Aslam Khan, Zarmad Khan, Fazal Khaliq, and Ruhul Bian, apprised the political tehsildar about their problems.

The tribal elders said that 90 percent area of the Kala Dhaka, a tribal belt of Mansehra district, was without basic amenities – electricity, roads and water. They said, despite tall claims by the previous governments even health and education facilities were not provided to the poor people of the area.

They said that because of the poverty in the area educated youth had left for Karachi and other cities for getting jobs.

The political tehsildar said that he would do his utmost to solve their problems with the help of the MNA-elect Faiz Mohammad Khan and MPA-elect Nimroz Khan. He said that poppy cultivation would not be allowed at any cast in the area and those who defied will be dealt with iron hands.