Pro-Taliban terrorists in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province have warned that they would not allow the January 8 elections to be held in the restive Swat district.

Militants went to the house of a candidate contesting elections from PF-84 in the NWFP and threatened his family if he did not stay away from elections, sources said.

The pro-Taliban militants warned the authorities that they would not allow the conduct of elections in the restive Swat district, sources were quoted on Wednesday by The News daily as saying on condition of anonymity.

They said that militants wanted to implement Sharia in the area and would not allow the government to impose English laws in the Swat valley.

Meanwhile, the controversial cleric Maulana Fazlullah gave a 10-day ultimatum to the army to evacuate the area otherwise they would restart their activities in the restive valley.

Addressing followers on his illegal FM channel, the cleric vowed to continue their movement for the implementation of Sharia in the area. He said they have no political aims but to implement Sharia in Swat.

The cleric claimed that the presence of the army personnel in the area would further aggravate the situation. He said up till now they were defending themselves but if their demands were not met they would declare a 'Jihad against the Army,' the daily reported.

Pakistan Army has linked the militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed to the unrest in northwestern Swat valley.