Banned Pak terror outfit warns Kyber locals to pay for safety

Islamabad, Mar 16(ANI): The militant outfit Lashker-e-Islam has reportedly demanded payment from Acheni Bala Union Council residents in Pakistan's Kyber Agency in exchange for their safety.

Villagers said that militants had informed them that each house-owner must pay 5,000 rupees besides a monthly payment of 1,000 rupees to them.

The militants said they would blow up houses if there was no compliance with their demands.

"They were well armed and riding bikes. There are at least 500 houses in the locality and the local residents must obey the order to avoid confrontation as we are poor people and cannot afford it," The Express Tribune quoted a resident as saying, requesting anonymity.

He said that they had no option but to obey the order because the police too had abandoned them despite the fact that their village, Mera Acheni lies in the settled district of Peshawar.

"Adding further insult to our injuries, after the militants came the activists of the so-called Aman lashkar of the Shalober area of Khyber Agency, who informed us that anyone who pays the amount to the militants will be dealt with harshly," he added, saying they had been given the option to choose between the two. (ANI)