The authorities arrested at least 40 suspected pro-Taliban militants in a campaign to eliminate weapons from a tribal area bordering Afghanistan, officials said on Wednesday.
The arrests were made over the past two days in lawless Bajaur district, after militants were seen openly displaying their rifles in defiance of a ban, deputy administrator Jamil Khan told reporters. "Nobody is allowed to harass the people with weapons," he added.
Khan said most of the 40 were Afghan nationals. Bajaur is one of several tribal districts where Pakistani authorities have signed controversial peace deals with militants after bloody army operations. The pacts have caused concern with Nato and US-led forces in Afghanistan who say that cross-border insurgent attacks have risen as a result. Pakistan says attacks have decreased.
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