UPPER DIR - The leading tribes from Upper Dir District have decided unanimously to constitute a traditional Lashkar, comprising 20,000 youths, to purge the area of the militants, the tribal elders said here on Sunday. "We want neither troops nor Taliban militants in our district," remarked former MPA and Jamaat-i-Islami leader, Malik Behram Khan, while talking to the media after attending the traditional Jirga, held at Wari by Sultankhel and Payandakhel tribes here on Sunday. Around 800 leading elders and notables of the area attended the Jirga. The Jirga was held to evolve a strategy for containing the ongoing trend of militancy and violence in the region. A couple of days back, a militants group had an abortive attempted to make school children hostages. After the abortive attempt, the two militants had later blown themselves up with explosive materials. At the very outset of the day-long Jirga, the participants elected Malik Zar Mohammad as Chairman and Malik Gulfaraz Khan as Secretary of the Jirga. All the participants unanimously decided to ban both militants and security forces entry in the area. Moreover, they also decided that the Lashkar would protect the civilian population, patrol roads and guard the important places in the area. The Jirga also urged the government and the militants, through a unanimous resolution, not to enter the area. They further warned the militants of dire consequences, if any violation of the Jirga's decision is reported. When two leading elders, Malik Behram Khan of Jamaat-i-Islami and Said Anwar Khan of Awami National Party, were contacted, they said that the Lashkar would not only be responsible for protecting lives and properties of the local people but also protect the government installations. The Lashkar would also extend support to the police force in case of action against militants, they said. The Jirga also decided to give an exemplary punishment to those who would provide shelter to the militants.