 Militants in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan have said they are investigating the 18 tribal chiefs who met President General Pervez Musharraf and violated the ban prohibiting contacts with the government. Abdullah Farhad, a spokesman for militants, told reporters that a shoura (council) would decide the fate of two tribal chiefs, Mir Sharof Ederkhel and Nawab Khan Borakhel, who had apologised for meeting the president. "Sharof and Khan have admitted meeting the president was a mistake and pleaded for mercy," said Farhad. Sharof confirmed contacting the militants, saying he had attended the meeting to plead for the military's withdrawal from the tribal regions. Pro-government tribal elder Malik Tooti Gul was kidnapped and killed last week by unidentified assailants. Militants denied killing him, adding that they were investigating his murder. |