PESHAWAR: A deliberate show of flag by the militants in the suburbs of the provincial capital in recent days has panicked the local residents forcing many to shift to safer places.

A source hailing from Matani told Dawn on Friday that around 80 masked men armed with light and heavy weapons riding several vehicles just made passes in Pasni, Sharikera and Yousuf Khel and returned to the Bora area in the Frontier Region of Peshawar early Friday morning.

He said at least 10 families belonging to Bora village had vacated their houses due to the fear of a possible operation in the areas where the number of militants was increasing.

The Matani police, however, did not confirm the movement of armed militants in the areas and said the situation was under control. An official said one platoon of the Frontier Constabulary had been deployed in the Adezai area to check the movement of suspected people.

About night patrol of security personnel, he said it was not possible in the prevailing situation but they had to remain alert in the area for responding quickly if needed.

When contacted, Adezai Qaumi Lashkar head Dilawar Khan said his close relatives hailing from the FR localities had vacated their houses after militants’ warning to them to support their cause or leave the areas.

“Militants have asked the people to keep the doors of their hujras open or leave the area and that is why those unwilling to do so have packed up,” he said and added that militants had re-established their base camp in the Pastawana village of the FR and brought horses for travelling in the hilly areas.

He said residents of Adezai were against the Taliban and ready to face them, but the government was not extending support to them that had created unrest among the villagers.

“Most of the people are poor who have limited sources of income and are unable to purchase weapons to fight the well-armed militants,” he said, demanding that the government should at least provide them with ammunition.

Mr Dilawar said local peace committee members at a meeting had decided to take a unified stand against militants, but it was difficult to continuously perform night duties with limited resources.

He pointed out that the presence of militants could be judged from sabotage acts occurred in different areas, like blowing up of a pylon in Baghwanan and a bomb blast in the Ormar area a few days ago.

He suggested that entry of suspected people from the Kalakhel tribal area should be checked thoroughly, otherwise peace could not be restored in Peshawar.

Some militants, he said, had come to the area from the Tirah valley and the Orakzai Agency due to the operation in those areas. He said a kidnapped schoolteacher, Chaman Gul, was also freed from the Khyber Agency, but he was so frightened that he avoided giving details.

Meanwhile, tribal elders of the FR Peshawar have been warned to expel militants from their areas, otherwise the government will take action against them as per the law.

At a meeting held at Peshawar DCO’s office on Friday, the administration directed the tribesmen to form a lashkar against militants. The meeting was attended by 35 elders from Jani Khel, Ashokhel and Hassan Khel tribes.

The DCO, who also supervises FR Peshawar areas, warned that those providing shelter and food to militants and facilitating them would be punished under the territorial responsibility clause of the Frontier Crimes Regulation.

The DCO told Dawn that the tribesmen had sought three days in order to hold meetings of the sub-tribes of the FR. He said another meeting would be held at the DCO’s office to review the situation.

He said militants were entering the Pastawana area from Darra Adamkhel.

“I recommend deployment of the Frontier Constabulary in Pastawana and other areas because it is a must to secure Peshawar and adjacent districts,” he said and added that entry points needed to be blocked completely.