LAKKI MARWAT: Aba Shaheedkhel Qaumi Jirga has threatened to launch agitation if government fails to secure release of kidnapped contractors of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission within three days.

The jirga met here at School Ground in Dallokhel area with Inayatur Rehman in the chair.

Lakki tehsil council chairman Shafgatlah Khan Khoidadkhel, former district councillor Irfanullah Khan, PTI Lakki tehsil president Dr Mohammad Iqbal, ANP district general secretary and neighbourhood council chairman Engineer Latifullah Khan, Liaquat Ali Khan, relatives of the kidnapped employees and elders from various clans participated in the jirga.

Speaking on the occasion, the elders expressedconcerns over delay in safe recovery of the kidnapped employees.

`Despite lapse ofaround two weeks, there are no visible signs of the release of kidnapped workers,` they said.

They alleged that lack of seriousness on part of government delayed the recovery of employees. They said that they would sever the gas pipeline passing through the district if the kidnapped workers were not released.

They also threatened to close the main entry of Qaboolkhel project site and boycott upcoming anti-polio drives.

Meanwhile, relatives of the kidnapped employees and some elders called on Deputy Commissioner Zeeshan Abdullah at his office on Tuesday.

They told him that the incident caused unrest among locals. They said that local authorities should expedite their efforts for the safe release of kidnapped workers.

It is pertinent to mention here that on Jan 9, armed men kidnapped 17 private PAEC workers along with their driver when they were going to the project site located at Qaboolkhel area in a private coach. Correspondent