KHYBER: In a major development, the Bar Qambarkhel tribe in the restive Tirah valley here has announced that its members will neither shelter terrorists of the banned outfit Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) nor will they pay ushr (an Islamic tax on agricultural produce) to them.

The announcement came at a jirga held on Wednesday after terrorists injured two differently-abled brothers over their poor father`s inability to pay the tax.

Sources in the valley told Dawn that the armed TTP terrorists forcibly entered the house of daily-wage worker Islam Khan in the Baykhel area and forced him to offer meal before demanding ushr payment.

They said that when Islaminsisted he was too poor to pay the amount, the intruders opened fire, injuring his two physically-challenged sons, Asif and Subhan, and left.

After learning about the incident from social media, residents gathered at an open compound and condemned the incident.

Tribal elder Malik Zahir Shah, who is known as an ardent critic of terrorist groups in Tirah valley, announced that if any tribesman was found providing shelter and food to terrorists and paying them ushr, he would be heavily fined and his house would be torched.

He displayed a leaflet distributed by TTP members in the area for ushr payment and noted addressing TTP chief Noor Wali that Islam didn`t allow seeking payments at gunpoint and entering houses without permission to demand food, so the Bar Qambarkhel tribe denounced such un-Islamic practices in the valley.

Mr Shah said he failed to understand why people had become so scared of terrorists who were exploiting religion for personal gains.He led a rally of charged tribesmen with copies of the Holy Quran in their hands in Durbikhel, asking TTP terrorists to leave their area.

The participants warned theywould act appropriately if terrorists stayed put.

Sources in the area said outlawed terrorist outfits TTP, Lashkar-iIslam and Hafiz Gul Bahadar Grouphad imposed the so-called Islamic tax in the name of usher from local residents on their earnings from drug business, particularly poppy trade for which Tirah valley was famous since decades.

Initially these groups would contact only those who were involved in poppy and opium trade but off late they have started demanding extortion money from even ordinary residents who were mostly unable to pay the amount owing to their impoverished monetary status.

Meanwhile, an uneasy calm has prevailed in the Tirah valley since authorities hinted in early June about the start of military operations against terrorists in different areas amid fears of people`s displacement.

Residents have reportedly informed security and administrative officials that they won`t vacate their houses for any military operation. They, however, suggested that they could move to nearby areas only if every family was paid Rs500,000 and their return was promised immediately after the completion of targetedoperations.

Ahead of the last Eidul Azha,Peshawar`s commissioner Riaz Mehsud informed the elders of Tirah that tribesmen had to vacate their houses prior to the start of a multi-phased military operation in `selected but troubled` areas. The elders sought more time to discuss the issue of displacement.

The commissioner also warned that those refusing to vacate houses after July 7 would be declared terrorists and dealt with accordingly.

Since then, the people in Tirah, especially Bara, have vehemently rejected forced displacement and even threatened to block the road leading to Tirah to block logistical support for security forces.

A massive rally was staged in Bara on July 7, with participants rejecting forced displacement and fresh military operation in Tirah.

Peace activists from the entire district showed up in large numbers.

Dawn has learnt that the district administration is `trying to re-establish a link with Tirah elders to find a way-out of the uncertain situation.

Sources in the valley said an additional deputy commissioner visited Bagh-Maidan Markaz a few days ago and urged the local elders to revive dialogue over the plans for military operations.

They said that elders of almost all major Afridi tribes from Tirah were in constant contact with each other and were expected to respond to the request for resumption of dialogue in the next few days.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority is understood to have established a registration point in the Paindi Cheena area of Upper Bara to facilitate those wanting to voluntarily vacate their houses and to be shifted to a temporary camp, which has yet to be established.

The sources said that officials were given instructions to provide tents to at least 17,000 families in the first phase of displacement and they had procured at least 5,000 tents.

They, however, said no family had registered with the Paindi Cheena centre.