Dozens of Pakistani security forces policing a former tourist haven surrendered to militants yesterday, raising the stakes in the country’s political crisis. The police officers and troops, outnumbered and demoralised, laid down their arms before hundreds of pro-Taleban extremists who are imposing Islamic law in an area beloved of Western hikers.

The surrender, in the scenic Swat Valley, was deeply symbolic at a time when President Musharraf is pleading for continued Western support as a key regional ally.

General Musharraf argued last week that he was imposing martial law to help the fight against extremists. Yesterday’s cave-in illustrated the limits of Pakistan’s efforts to combat the spread of militancy. And the unwillingness of those in uniform to fight allies of al-Qaeda in northern Pakistan contrasted with the brutal repression by the security forces of lawyers on the streets of the capital.

“The security forces and intelligence agencies are fighting the people instead of the militants,” Benazir Bhutto, the former Prime Minister, said yesterday.

Three main towns have fallen to the followers of Maulana Fazlullah, a radical Islamic cleric, over the past three days. Residents said that heavily armed militants were patrolling the towns of Madayan, Matta and Kwazakhela, which had been favourite destinations for Pakistani and foreign tourists until recently.

They added that the Islamic militia, who called themselves Taleban, had hoisted their flag inscribed with verses from the Koran above government buildings and established Islamic courts. Government officials have fled and police stations are now manned by militants.

Television and music have been banned and barbers ordered not to shave beards. Through an FM radio station, the militants have urged schoolgirls to wear all-covering burkas. They have warned women that their marriages would be annulled if they did not force their husbands to grow beards.

Several development organisations have been forced to close their offices, accused of spreading immorality because they employed women staff. Last week the militia publicly beheaded 12 soldiers.

The region used to attract foreign tourists to its Buddhist heritage and archaeological sites. It is now one of the main centres of al-Qaeda activities, a sign of the growing influence of Islamic radicals in northern Pakistan.

Pakistani security officials said that the militia had the backing of al- Qaeda and included Arab and Uzbek fighters who had set up training camps in the mountains near Kwazakhela, which fell this week. Many members of militant outfits from other parts of the country are also reported to have joined the fighting.

Mr Fazlullah is also a leader of Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM), which was banned by General Musharraf in 2002 after it sent more than 10,000 volunteers to fight in Afghanistan against US forces. The cleric, who is also known as Mullah Radio for his fiery speeches delivered from an illegal FM radio station, declared jihad against the Government after Pakistani security forces raided the Red Mosque in Islamabad in July, killing a rebel cleric and scores of seminary students.

Pakistani security officials said that the movement presented the most potent threat to national security because it had developed firmly into a satellite of al-Qaeda.

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