Masked men forced drivers from vehicles at gunpoint and took and destroyed tape recorders in incidents Saturday. They also snatched mobile phones and threatened clean-shaven males with “strict action” if they did not grow beards.

Although Pakistan’s tribal areas by the border have seen a sharp increase in so-called Talebanization in recent months, this was the first time militants had openly paraded and set up checkpoints, residents told the Dawn newspaper.

Local authorities allegedly made no attempt to deal with the threat. A large group of men with automatic weapons also came to audio entertainment shops in the town of Inayat Kali and warned the owners to stop trading.