| Residents of Shabqadar on Monday formed a lashkar to counter the increasing influence of Taliban in the area. The lashkar would co-operate with police in combating militants. Hundreds of armed locals marched with police from Shabqadar Bazaar to Aranda Chowk. People from the Sarikh, Katozai, Mandozai, Battgram, Jehlar and Kot areas participated in the march. Charsadda District Police Officer (DPO) Waqif Khan and Charsadda Amn Committee Chairman Younas Katozai led the march. Addressing the participants of the march at Aranda, Katozai said criminals in the guise of Taliban wanted to create anarchy in Shabqadar. The elders of the area said those behind incidents of kidnapping for ransom and other acts offensive to Islam were abusing the name of Islam and would not be allowed to operate in the area. The DPO told the assembly that establishing peace in the area was impossible without the active co-operation of the locals. He said those who wanted to wage jihad should go to Afghanistan, Iraq and Kashmir instead of waging war on their countrymen. The locals told Daily Times they were fed up with the militants who have made their lives hell in the name of Islam, and wanted to get rid of them. |