Taliban have declared their government in Bajaur Agency, tribal areas situated on Pak-Afghan border.
According to a report of Dawn newspaper, local traders closed their shops on Friday in response to a call from the local Taliban. All shops, banks and other business centres remained closed. A banker told Dawn that all bank branches had been instructed to observe Friday as weekly holiday.
Meanwhile, the local Taliban held six people on the charge of taking drugs and paraded them naked in a bazaar in Inayat Killey. About 40 armed Taliban addressed people on the occasion.
They asked the people to be prepared for jihad.
They also warned against listening to music, drinking liquor and using drugs and said violators would be given punishment in line with Islamic injunctions.
CDs and cassettes allegedly seized from the area were destroyed.
Meanwhile, the political administration has warned elders of Utmankhel and Tarkhani tribes of strict action if attacks continue on government installations and security forces in the agency.
At a jirga with the tribal elders on Friday, political administration officials, including Khaar political tehsildar Mawaz Khan Afridi and Arsalarzai political tehsildar Adalat Khan, warned that people involved in disturbing the peace would be dealt with strictly.
They asked the tribal elders to abide by the peace deal and play their role in maintaining peace in the agency. They said people responsible for attacks would be expelled along with their families from the agency, their properties would be confiscated and their houses set on fire.
They said the administration had so far been dealing with the situation with patience, but now the government would take strict action.
According to Daily Times report, A loya jirga of tribal elders formed a 25-member peace committee in Bajaur Agency on Friday in the aftermath of recent bomb blasts and firing incidents protesting the Lal Masjid operation, reports Masood Khan.
The Khar, Salarzai and Utman Khel elders, maliks and councillors held a loya jirga at Jirga Hall, Civil Colony on the directives of Political Agent Shakil Qadir Khan.
Addressing the elders, the political agent said militants were targeting government installations, Bajaur Scouts and Levies forces with remote-controlled bombs and rockets.
He asked the elders to improve security or risk Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa-style incidents. In response, the tribal elders announced a 25-member peace committee.
Also on Friday, the Bajaur Mamoond peace committee held talks with local Taliban and warned them that attacks on govt installations violated the peace agreement they had signed with the government.
Local Taliban commander Maulana Faqir Muhammad said the Taliban were not engaged in any attacks.
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