TTP warned NGOs to stop their activities in Khyber

Ashrafuddin Pirzada
FATA: Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has ordered all
non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and shops dealing in mobile
ringtones to close down their offices and shops in Khyber Agency
within a week or face the dire consequences.

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan distributed threating pamphlets in
Landikotal bazaar on Monday and Tuesday in which they warned the NGO
workers and the mobile ringtones shopkeepers that their offices and
shops would be targeted if the un-Islamic businesses were not stopped
within a week.
 ‘‘They (America and non-Muslims) don't want us to remain Muslims and
want to take away the veil from our women. The NGOs hired women who
work alongside men in the field and in offices is totally un-Islamic
and unacceptable,’’ said in the pamphlets. The pamphlet termed the
NGOs as another name for vulgarity and obscenity.


 Several pamphlets were found in the streets of the Landikotal bazaar
and many were pasted on the walls of markets inscribed that the West
and America want their influence in our areas by utilizing their
un-Islamic tools. The NGOs programs running in the tribal areas and
the mobile ringtone business were totally un-Islamic practices and it
spread obscenity in the society. It was further said in the pamphlets
that the young generation and especially women had got the habit of
watching movies and songs on their mobile sets which further create
disorder in the Islamic tribal society. TTP warned the NGO workers to
immediately stop so-called women rights programs and leave the area.
Accusing the NGO workers it said that they were promoting the US and
West agenda in the tribal society.
 Following the Taliban threats all the NGOs offices and mobile cell
phones markets in Landikotal were remained close for the last two
days.
On the condition anonymity, two NGOs employees told The News on phone
from Landikotal and Jamrud that they had decided to quit their jobs as
they had received several threating calls from unknown persons.
Iftikhar,Aslam, wali Muhammad, who were running  cell-phones shops in
Landikotal bazaar  said that when they came to their shops they found
TTP threating pamphlets at the front of each shop to stop the
businesses of ringtones as it was against Islam and its spirit. The
shopkeepers said due to the fear of bomb blast in the market they have
closed their shops and offices for the last two days. The shopkeepers
said it was the lone sources of bread earning which had suffered much.
they said their markets was also bombed twice last year and all their
capital was changed lost in it.
Local administration officials have confirmed the development and
asked the people to avoid their unnecessary visits to the public
places.