By Abdul Mueed Hashimi
A lawmaker and tribal elders on Thursday claimed Pakistani army had threatened residents in various villages of the Goshta district in eastern Nangarhar province to vacate their homes and move elsewhere.
The claim was echoed during a huge gathering of Momand tribesmen in the district.
Wolesi Jirga member Faridon Momand told the gathering that Pakistani army officials had warned residents of Mamakhel, Khugyani and Dawarkhel villages to leave the area.
Earlier, the Pakistani forces threatened residents of the Lalpura district to leave their homes.Momand said after shelling for several weeks a number of villages in the Lalpur district, the Pakistani forces had turned their artillery towards the Goshta town over the past several days.
He (Wolesi Jirga member Faridon Momand) warned if the Pakistani forces entered their areas, thousands of tribesmen would rise in arms against them and any land the tribesmen captured inside Pakistan would be given in control to anti-Pakistani elements.
The lawmaker said Afghan refugee elders in the Mohmand agency of Pakistan had been invited by the political agent and warned them to inform their tribesmen, Momand, in the Goshta district to leave the area.
The political agent had also said that residents of Goshta would have no right to complain once the Pakistani forces started ground patrols in their area, the lawmaker claimed.
He said the Momand tribe had no intention to enter a war with the Pakistani forces, but they would fight in self-defence and for the protection of their land.
Momand said he had discussed the threat with the provincial council, police, intelligence department officials, parliament and ministries of defence and interior.
He said the governor house had been informed about the latest Pakistani cross-border attack into the Lalpur district. He said a volley of missiles were fired into the town.
He warned if the Pakistani forces entered their areas, thousands of tribesmen would rise in arms against them and any land the tribesmen captured inside Pakistan would be given in control to anti-Pakistani elements.
Other speakers strongly criticised the Afghan government for failing to prevent Pakistani attacks inside the country.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people in the Gostha district staged a peaceful protest rally against a profane film insulting the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
The rally condemned the film released in the US and blasphemous cartoons in France.
Participant Abdul Wakeel Matakhel said the moviemaker and other crew be hanged in public to set an example for others not to dare to mock their religion.