LAKKI MARWAT: Marwat Qaumi Jirga succeeded to recover two villagers, kidnapped from Shakh Quli Khan village nine days ago, on Saturday night, sources said.

They said that the elders of Takhtikhel Peace Committee handed over the kidnapped men to the jirga in the presence of local police officials. The jirga took both Noman and Abdul Mateen to Shakh Quli Khan village and handed them over to their relatives, they added.

Sources said that eight armed members of a kidnappers` gang had abducted Noman, Abdul Mateen and Sifatullah from Shakh Quli Khan village on Dec 21.

They said that Sifatullah managed to escape from the captivity of the kidnappers while residents of Shakh Quli Khan formed an armed lashkar to release the remaining two villagers.

`Police assisted by local people launched a search operation in Takhtikhel bordering the frontier region and destroyed hideouts of kidnappers,` sources said.

They said that tribesmen of Shakh Quli Khan and Takhtikhel were at loggerheads after the kidnapping incident that forced Marwat Qaumi Jirga to intervene and avert a clash between the two tribes.

The jirga members headed by its chief Haji Mohammad Aslam Khan held meetings with elders of both the tribes and urged them to remain calm and resolve the issue through dialogue.

`It also asked the elders of Takhtikhel Peace Committee to use their influence to recover the kidnapped villagers otherwise government would launch an operation for the purpose,` sources said.

The Takhtikhel elders were told that the jirga would be unable to extend any help to them if government initiated action against them.

Sources said that elders of Takhtikhel sought three days time and assured the jirga that they would ensure safe release of the kidnapped villagers.

On Saturday night the peace committee handed over the kidnapped men to the jirga in the presence of local police two days before the expiry of the deadline.

Haji Aslam Khan told this correspondent by telephone that the safe release of the kidnapped villagers was a good omen for the peace and tranquility of Lakki district.

He appreciated the role of Takhtikhel Peace Committee.

He said that efforts initiated by Marwat Qaumi Jirga averted a possible clash.