Christians Under Attack

Senior Taliban leaders told a gathering of tribesmen at a mosque in Bajur to follow the instructions otherwise they will be punished under Islamic laws, the people who attended the meeting said.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Central deputy chief Maulvi Faqir Muhammad and spokesman Maulvi Umar, addressing a gathering, warned the people in tribal areas to be careful and avoid shaving beards.

They also set a deadline of two months and said that after deadline period strict action would be taken against the violators.

"Taliban give much respect to women and said this is a responsibility of every Muslim that they should follow Islamic principles," the two leaders said.

Local barbers in Bajur and other tribal regions had received on several occasions warning letters from suspected militants to stop shaving beard of the people but it is the first public warning coming from senior Taliban leaders.

Several barbers had also displayed writings at their shops, asking the people not to force them for shaving beard.

Taliban are suspected to be behind attacks on girls' schools and music centers across the north west of Pakistan.

Analysts believe that the instructions on growing beard are similar on the pattern of Afghanistan's Taliban style to force the people to grow beard when they were ruling Afghanistan.

The Pakistani Taliban order coincided with burning of a girls school at the scenic Pakistani Swat valley on Sunday.

Taliban threats came at a time when the new Pakistani government is following a policy to hold dialogue with the militants to end militancy.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said yesterday at his home town of Multan that his government will hold talks with those who will lay down arms.

Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsood has ended talks with the government, blaming it for not withdrawing troops from the tribal regions.