SOUTH WAZIRISTAN, April 1: Heavy contingents of SWA Scouts force have taken up positions in the Rustam Bazaar in Wana, the South Waziristan Agency headquarters, as the tribesmen continue to put up resistance to the anti-poppy drive launched by the political administration for the last 15 days.

So far, the administration has arrested hundreds of tribal people and sent them to different jails outside the Agency as Wana remains cut off from other parts of the country due to a number of road blockades set up by the law-enforcement agencies on all entry points into the Wana town.

The local population is facing numerous problems as the administration has set up checkpoints on Zhob-Wana Road, Wana- Dera Ismail Khan Road, Wana-Peshawar Road and Wana-Afghanistan Road to restrict the tribesmen’s movement in and outside of the Agency.

About 5,000 shops and business centres of Wazir tribesmen in Wana also continue to remain sealed for the last 15 days. The administration has also impounded scores of vehicles belonging the South Waziristan tribes.

The administration has started arresting the tribesmen under the 40 FCR in the settled districts and sealed their businesses to force the tribal population to destroy the banned crop.

Social and political circles of the Agency have also stressed the need for talks between the government and the tribes to resolve the issue peacefully.

SCOUT KILLED: Unidentified assailants gunned down an official of the scouts force in the Azam Warsak area here on Monday night. The victim was identified as Izzat Khan Marwat.

Early in the month, a havaldar of intelligence force of the Agency was also killed by unknown assailants.