LANDI KOTAL, Sept 24: The Mullagori tribe of Landi Kotal tehsil in Khyber Agency set a 24-hour deadline for the Taliban to leave the area or face the music, residents said on Wednesday.
They said that Mullagori tribesmen held an emergency meeting and decided that the Taliban militants would be evicted from the area after the expiry of the deadline.
Taliban fighters are entrenched in the neighbouring Mohmand tribal region where the security forces are conducting an operation against them.
The Mullagori tribe decided that militants from the neighbouring agency would not be allowed to enter the area and those already living in the area would be evicted after the expiry of the deadline.
They urged the militants to leave the areas voluntarily or armed action would be initiated against them.
Meanwhile, a 100-member armed force of Mullagori tribe would carry out joint patrolling with the Khasadar Force to check activities of militants in the area.
The armed volunteers would extend all out support to the security forces and conduct joint patrolling with the Khasadars to ensure maintenance of law and order in the area, tribal source said.
POWER DISCONNECTED: Tribal Electric Supply Company has disconnected power supply to a number of government offices and educational institutions in Landi Kotal for non-payment of electricity dues, officials say.
Tesco officials in Landi Kotal said that the action was taken after repeated notices about the recovery of outstanding bills were not adhered to by the defaulting institutions and government offices.
He said that power supply had been disconnected to Government Higher Secondary School for Girls, Government High School for Boys, boys’ hostel of Government Degree College, Customs Colony, agriculture office and Animal Husbandry Hospital.
Officials said notice had also been served on Agency Headquarters Hospital to deposit their outstanding dues by September 25, otherwise their power supply would also be disconnected.
PRISONERS’ FREED: The political administration released 20 prisoners on Wednesday, officials said.
The assistant political agent said that the released prisoners were involved in minor cases and were released in connection with the festivities of Eid-ul-Fitr. Apart from some locals, few Afghan nationals were also among the released prisoners who were arrested for minor offences.