PESHAWAR, 6 April 2004 — A Pakistani provincial governor yesterday offered “safe passage” to Al-Qaeda fighters hiding among unruly Pashtun tribes along the rugged Afghan border.

“If the foreign terrorists want to leave Pakistani territory then we are ready to provide safe passage to them,” North West Frontier Province Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain told an assembly (or “jirga”) of tribal elders in the provincial capital Peshawar.

“One thing is clear that we will not tolerate any foreigner on our soil.”

The governor also warned the elders from two tribal regions that they could face punishment if they fail to evict or hand over foreign terrorist in their areas.

The elders representing the Mahsud, Utmanzai and Ahmedzai tribes, which dominate the South and North Waziristan regions on the Afghan border, were given until April 20 to comply, said Brig. Mahmood Shah, chief of security for the tribal regions.

“The government wants to settle the issue peacefully through negotiations in accordance with tribal traditions,” Mahmood Shah, who attended the meeting, quoted the governor as saying.

“If the tribal elders do not fulfill their responsibilities, then force can be used and operation can be launched,” he said, as the elders listened, many wearing traditional turbans.

The elders promised support. “We will cooperate with the government,” said Malik Ba Khan, an elder from the Ahmedzai tribe. “We will try to achieve these objectives through negotiations.”

Shah didn’t say what action the tribesmen would face if they fail to expel foreign terror suspects, or hand them — or their local supporters — over to the authorities.

The deadline was also an indication that the government might launch an all-out military operation in North Waziristan, where Pakistan and US security forces looked for Taleban and Al-Qaeda remnants. But no large-scale, high-profile military operations have been conducted in North Waziristan.

After the talks with the governor, a tribal force or “lashkar” was formed by tribal elders in South Waziristan to bring Aitmankhel tribesmen to surrender terrorist suspects.

A tribal jirga is to convene today to press the Aitmankhel tribesmen to surrender to the assembly suspects harboring alleged foreign and local terrorists, said Allah Noor, a local tribesman.

“It was decided that those, who do not attend Tuesday’s jirga will be fined 100,000 Pakistani rupees. They have been asked to bring their arms with them and furnish information about the terrorists they are harboring,” Noor said.

“Non-compliance will entail demolition of their houses and a fine of rupees 500,000,” Noor said, adding that a tribal force comprising 3,000 locals will be formed for the purpose.

Since the onset of spring Pakistani authorities have stepped up efforts to rid its semi-autonomous tribal belt — along its 1,250 km northwest border with Afghanistan — of an estimated 500 to 600 Al-Qaeda fugitives.

Their efforts have been supplemented by United States and Afghan forces blocking escape points on the other side of the porous border, in the “hammer and anvil” scenario foreshadowed by US Army commanders in February.

Since a largely disastrous operation last month against some 500 fighters holed up in the mud-walled fortress homes of rebel tribal elders, Pakistan has been re-channeling its efforts into negotiations with tribes across the region.

The 12-day battle by 7,500 Pakistani troops resulted in the capture and deaths of some 200 fighters and local tribal supporters, and the deaths of at least 46 soldiers.

No significant Al-Qaeda figures were among those killed or captured, and the remainder escaped through a labyrinth of underground tunnels and by slipping through a loose troop cordon.

Uzbek militant leader Tahir Yuldash was believed to be among those who escaped the military net, although officials say they think he was injured.

Provincial authorities over the past week have been urging tribes to form their own armed militias to pursue and expel the foreigners and hand over tribal chiefs who have been harboring them.