ISLAMABAD, 26 April 2004 — The tribesmen in Khyber Agency have handed over a large number of weapons to the Frontier Corps which include anti-aircraft guns, anti-tank guns, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles and rocket launchers.

Some 50 men arrested last month in an operation aimed at rounding up pro Al- Qaeda tribesman were freed by Pakistan’s Army yesterday, a day after five prominent leaders were also granted amnesty.

The commandant of Khyber Rifles, Col. Riaz, told a press conference that a campaign was launched for destroying dangerous weapons in the area on the instruction of the government and governor NWFP province and the people were asked to surrender their weapons voluntarily. He said that it was for the first time that such huge quantities of weapons had been surrendered in the tribal area.

On this occasion the tribesmen said that the weapons have been surrendered to show solidarity and loyalty with Pakistan, which was required of tribesmen. They said that it was also in response to the speech of the corps commander in South Waziristan yesterday that such huge quantity of weapons has been surrendered.

Commandant Khyber Rifles said that the campaign would continue for further 10 to 15 days and it is expected that more weapons would be surrendered.

Offering a Kalashnikov assault rifle and a Qur’an to an army general as symbolic gifts, the five were allowed to go free on Saturday in return for a promise not to help Al-Qaeda and Taleban fugitives near the Afghan border.

The deal could end months of bloody confrontation between tribesmen and Pakistan’s Army in the lawless region of South Waziristan, but may unnerve the United States, eager for more tough action by Pakistan in the war on terrorism.

South Waziristan has long been believed to be a possible hide-out for Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda’s No. 2, Ayman Al-Zawahiri. The amnesty was formalized at a ceremony attended by senior Pakistani government and military officials and by 10,000 tribesmen at Shakai village, 25 kilometers (15 miles) north of Wana, the main town in the region.

The five Zali Khel tribesmen, who had been accused of harboring Al-Qaeda men and have hundreds of armed followers, promised to live peacefully, be loyal to Pakistan and not take part in any terrorist activity — an assurance backed by a guarantee from their tribe.

The 50 released yesterday were captured in Pakistan’s largest anti-terrorism operation since Islamabad threw its support behind the US campaign in Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks on America.

Regional military commander Lt. Gen. Safdar Hussain said foreigners with wives and children in the region — previously branded as terrorists — would also receive amnesty if they surrendered by the end of the month.