KHAR: A tribal jirga announced to make the peace committees functional and extend support to the security forces to weed terrorist hideouts from their respective areas. The announcement was made by the elders of Uthmankhel and Tarkani tribal elders at a jirga here on Sunday. The tribal elders announced that patrolling in the border areas would be resumed and houses of terrorists’ facilitators or sympathisers would be demolished and they would be expelled from Bajaur Agency. Sector Commander, North, Brigadier Amir Kiyani, Commandant Bajaur Scouts, Col Nayyar Zaman and Political Agent, Amir Khattak, were also present. The officials criticised the tribal elders for not performing their duties efficiently. They said that terrorists would not have been able to play havoc with the nation had tribal elders fulfilled their responsibilities. The officials said that the government would take stern action if any untoward incident happened in the future. The elders were told to inform the administration and security forces about the presence of suspected persons in their respective areas or else military action would be launched. They also asked the elders to work for resolving local disputes as enmities were destroying peace in the region. Tribal elders, including Malik Bahadur Shah, Malik Abdul Aziz, Malik Hafizur Rehman, Malik Qadir Khan, Malik Saeedur Rehman also spoke on the occasion. The tribal elders assured the administration and security forces of their cooperation and assistance. They said that action would be taken against anti-state elements in accordance with tribal traditions and customs. Suspects: The police claimed to have arrested 50 suspects during a search and strike operation launched in the Oghi tehsil in the light of the current wave of terrorism in the country. “We have taken into custody over 50 suspects from different parts of Oghi tehsil and seized arms and ammunition from their possession,” Shimraz Khan, the district superintendent of police, Oghi, told reporters on Sunday. He said a police party conducted raids in Shungli Bandi and other parts of the tehsil and seized arms and ammunition. The DSP said that police was vigilant to cope with any situation and security was put on high alert. “We have also started a crackdown against suspects who could be helpful to miscreants and arrested them from various parts in tehsil,” said Khan. The Mansehra police also launched a series of mock exercises and other security activities in the wake of the fresh wave of terrorism in the country. A contingent of police executed a mock drill exercise at the district jail Mansehra, which is the first in following the current wave of terrorism. Jamal Zeb, the spokesmen for the police, told reporters that mock exercises would also be materialised at schools and colleges in the district. Ravine: At least 19 people, including women and children, sustained injures when a passenger van plunged into a deep ravine, in Hari Merra area of the district on Sunday. The van, carrying passengers, was on its way to Mansehra from Galli Badral when it plunged into a ravine in Tanawal area apparently due to break failure. Local people rushed to the scene and shifted the injured to King Abdullah Teaching Hospital in Mansehra and a hospital in Khaki.