New dawn for FATA as K-P approves merger

[Hermoine Green]

PESHAWAR:
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly passed the historic FATA merger bill with 92-7 votes amid protests, rendering the tribal areas part of the province.

Adoption of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment Act of 2018 abolishes the separate status of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

The bill was tabled in the provincial assembly by K-P law minister Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi after the speaker administered the oath to PTI member on minority seat Baldev Kumar.

Lawmakers of all political parties other than the JUI-F welcomed the act.

Highlighting PTI’s efforts for making the merger possible, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said that he had been pressing the federal government to do it before the expiry of its tenure.

Merger with K-P: Internet access to FATA people urged

He said that the federal government was not interested in finalizing the merger and they were discussing other issues.

“Just 10 days ago, I had told the prime minister that if FATA reforms that if the merger was not expedited problems will linger on. The Army Chief explicitly asked me not to leave the meeting unless a decision was reached on FATA merger bill,” Khattak said.

Elements unaffected by the draconian FCR law were protesting against the merger, he said.

“Even Afghanistan is opposing this merger. Achakzai, despite being in Balochistan, is also against the merger. I ask the Maulana Sahib (Maulana Fazlur Rehman) why are you against the move which frees the people of FATA from the clutches of FCR? Why don’t you want them (the tribesmen) to enjoy the same laws applicable in other settled areas?” he said.

He said that if the merger did not benefit the people of FATA, he would himself have opposed it.

Khattak said that if he had not intervened, the federal government would have linked the abolition Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) with the FATA merger, thereby ending decades-old tax exemptions. He said that he took up the matter with the prime minister who assured that the exemptions would continue for another five years.

Twenty-fifth Constitutional Amendment Bill

“No one can impose taxes on Malakand Division,” he asserted.

The House passed a resolution, asking the federal government to extend the tax exemption period for PATA for at least 10 years.

It also called for a development package of at least Rs100 billion for the region.

Furthermore, the resolution called for giving legal cover to the Nizam-e-Adal Regulation, currently applied in the PATA.

The resolution was moved by Dr Haider Ali of PTI and it was adopted by the house with a majority vote.

Lawmakers from the Malakand Division/ PATA talked at length on tax exemptions, besides demanding of the federal government to approve the development package.

Opposition leader Maulana Lutfur Rahman, however, criticised the merger and said that the move was against the will of the people of FATA.

Assembly session proceedings

“What is the hurry for passing the bill just days before the end of your tenure? Why take a decision which will definitely affect the next assembly?” Maulana Rahman said.

He said that his party (JUI-F) wanted the people FATA to decide their own fate.

“We stand with the people of FATA. We want to inform the people of the consequences of the bill’s adoption. The people of FATA must be allowed a say in the decision-making process,” Maulana Lutfur Rahman said.

ANP’s Sardar Hussain Babak said that lines drawn during the British Raj, dividing the Pashtuns, had now been eliminated.

“The next step will be to include the Pashtuns living in Balochistan in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, creating a greater Pashtun province,” Babak said.

Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha of PPP congratulated all parties other than JUI-F, which he said had tried its best to impede the FATA merger.

JUI-F, he said, had delayed the merger by more than two years.

“If they had shown the same zeal in enforcing the Shariah, the country would now be run under Islamic laws,” he said.

Bacha and Mufti Janan of JUI-F engaged in a war of words over this issue.



Merger with K-P: Internet access to FATA people urged

Inayatullah Khan of JI conditionally welcomed the law, insisting that demands of the people of Malakand Division should be heeded.

Sikandar Khan Sherpao of Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) said that all political parties should now make efforts to improve the lives of the people of FATA.

“It is our weakness that the people of FATA remain deprived of development all these years,” Sherpao said.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/172016...-k-p-assembly-ahead-vote-31st-amendment-bill/

 

[Asim_khan]

Great news, and a huge win for IK/PTI.

However can one of our more learned friends please explain what's the politics behind Aghanistan/Achakzai/JUIF and Maulana Diesel not wanting FATA/KP to be merged into one?

 

[Mian]

Great news, and a huge win for IK/PTI.

However can one of our more learned friends please explain what's the politics behind Aghanistan/Achakzai/JUIF and Maulana Diesel not wanting FATA/KP to be merged into one?

Achakzai side business is smuggling and the merger doesn't help his cause and he is also on payroll of Afghanistan to keep talking about pakhtunistan and Durand line

 

[Asim_khan]

Achakzai side business is smuggling and the merger doesn't help his cause and he is also on payroll of Afghanistan to keep talking about pakhtunistan and Durand line

There was some talk of Pakhtunistan beocming the name of KP/FATA after merger, wonder how that would go down.

Hopefully with a depoliticised Police force in KP, our brave boys in blue put an end to cross border smuggling and Achakzai is brought before the courts.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Tribal land feud claims 35 Lives as armed clashes rage in Kurram​

A land feud between tribes in the northwestern part of the country has spilled over into days of fighting with machine guns and mortars, killing 35 people so far, officials said Sunday.

Two tribal groups have been fighting since Wednesday, when a gunman opened fire at a council negotiating a decades-long dispute over farmland, local police official Murtaza Hussain said.

While no one was wounded in that attack, Hussain said it reignited longstanding tensions between the clans who live side-by-side in Boshehra and Malikhel areas of the district of Kurram on the border with Afghanistan.

Hussain confirmed that the conflict had "claimed 35 lives" so far.

"The government and local leaders are attempting to halt the fighting through jirgas (tribal councils), but have not yet succeeded," he said.

Inter-family feuds are common in the country.

However, they can be particularly protracted and violent in the mountainous northwestern region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where communities abide by traditional tribal honour codes.

A senior government official from Kurram district, who asked to remain anonymous, also gave a death toll of 35 but said 151 more people had been wounded.

"All attempts to resolve the conflict have failed," he said.

A police source, who asked not to be identified, said both sides were using automatic weapons and mortars in fighting focussed around the town of Parachinar, which had been blockaded by law enforcement.

"The area is still witnessing clashes involving the use of both small and large weapons," the senior Kurram district official said.

Traffic on the main roads also remained suspended due to the continuing firing.

Kurram is part of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas, a semi-autonomous area that was merged with KP in 2018.

The move brought the region into the legal and administrative mainstream, although police and security forces frequently struggle to enforce the rule of law there.

Tribal land feud claims 35 Lives as armed clashes rage in Kurram

PESHAWAR: A land feud between tribes in the northwestern part of the country has spilled over into days of fighting with machine guns and mortars, killing 35 people so far, officials said Sunday.Two...

www.thenews.com.pk

 

[BouncerGuy]

Kurram clashes: How a Pakistani land dispute led to a deadly tribal battle

After weeklong clashes between rival tribes in Pakistan’s district of Kurram, killing at least 46 people and injuring nearly 200, fighting has now halted, following a meeting between authorities and tribal elders.

A grand jirga, or a gathering of tribal elders, along with civilian and security officials, met in Parachinar, the main city in Kurram district. They held an hours-long meeting on Wednesday, after which a ceasefire was agreed upon by all stakeholders – until October 5.

Javedullah Mehsud, the deputy commissioner of Kurram, said there had been no casualties since then and that the government was confident of reaching a resolution to end the conflict.

“This is unfortunately an ongoing land dispute in the area that has led to fighting in the past as well, but we are confident that we can put an end to it this time,” Mehsud told Al Jazeera.

So where is Kurram, what happened there, how did things escalate and what’s next?

Where is Kurram?

Kurram, a mountainous area that shares a long border with Afghanistan in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is home to about 700,000 people, of which more than 42 percent belong to the Shia community.

It is closer to Afghanistan’s capital Kabul than any major city in Pakistan but also borders Afghanistan’s Khost, Paktia, Logar and Nangarhar provinces, which are considered havens for anti-Shia armed groups such as ISIL (ISIS) and the Pakistan Taliban (TTP).

The area has a history of sectarian conflict between the Shia and the Sunni majority groups and has also faced militancy during the past decade, with frequent attacks by TTP and other armed groups targeting the Shia community.

According to local authorities and tribal leaders, the current conflict has its roots in a continuing land dispute between Shia-majority and Sunni-majority tribes. Another similar incident flared up last year, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 people.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) urged the government to help broker peace in the area where, it added, “violence has taken a heavy toll on ordinary citizens”.

“HRCP calls on the KP government to ensure that the ceasefire being brokered, holds. All disputes, whether over land or born of sectarian conflict, must be resolved peacefully through negotiations convened by the KP government with all stakeholders represented,” it said in a statement on July 29.

What caused the latest clashes?

Mehmood Ali Jan, a member of the local peace committee and part of the jirga that held meetings this week, says that the conflict arose between Maleekhel, a Shia-majority tribe, and Madgi Kalay, a Sunni-majority tribe, over a tract of land in Boshehra village, situated 15km (9 miles) south of Parachinar city.

“It was a piece of agricultural land originally owned by the Shia tribe, which they had leased to the Sunni tribe for farming purposes. The lease was supposed to end this July, but when the time came, they refused to return the land, leading to fighting,” Jan told Al Jazeera.

Jan says that the local peace committee, which included members from both Shia and Sunni tribes, immediately tried to pacify the situation and asked the government to intervene. But the government, he says, was late to respond.

“The state was completely absent initially, leading to so much fighting. They did not interfere or send in forces or police despite the heavy presence of military and paramilitary personnel in the area,” Jan claimed.

Nisar Ahmad Khan, the district police officer, however, refutes the allegations of government inaction, saying that as soon as the fighting began, the state took swift action. He conceded, however, that a lack of manpower and the difficult terrain impeded the pace of the government’s response.

“We have limited capacity, and Kurram is a large, difficult area to access due to its mountainous terrain. Often, we had to hike for hours to reach places where fighting was taking place. Plus, due to the porous border with Afghanistan, many people have access to sophisticated weapons, making it even more difficult,” the police officer told Al Jazeera.

However, he categorically denied any involvement of TTP or any other armed group targeting the Shia community for their religious identity.

“The Boshehra village, where most of the fighting took place, has a strategic advantage for defenders, and anyone who tried to gain access was easily targeted. In this case, it was the Maleekhel tribe, which suffered more losses,” he said.

Why do such clashes keep happening?

Jan, the tribal elder, said even though a land dispute is at the heart of the current tensions, the region’s long history of sectarian strife allows “some elements” from both sides to use religion as a tool to mobilise.

“There have been major land dispute conflicts in the Kurram area between various tribes that have been ongoing since before the partition [of the Indian subcontinent in 1947]. Whenever anything triggers, it is conveniently given a sectarian angle, which is not the case,” he added.

There have been several incidents of significant sectarian violence in the last seven decades, but the most serious clash started in 2007, in which fighting between Shia and Sunni tribes lasted for almost four years. Several villages were set ablaze and thousands of people had to leave the region and seek shelter in other parts of the country.

Kurram, which was at the time part of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), was cut off from the rest of the country. In 2011, the Pakistani military, with the help of local tribal elders, finally managed to put an end to the fighting. Government data shows nearly 2,000 people were killed in the clashes, while more than 5,000 people were reported injured.

Khan, the police chief said that in many areas of the district, Shia and Sunni communities live together peacefully.

He cited the Ashura procession last month, marked to mourn the martyrdom of Husayn Ibn Ali al-Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad.

“We recently had the Ashura processions, which were taken out in different parts of Kurram. In many areas, Sunni tribes provided security for Shias who were mourning,” Khan said.

Mehsud, the deputy commissioner, said the government hoped to use the ceasefire to resolve the land dispute between the Maleekhel and Madgi Kalay tribes.

“We have our land dispute resolution mechanisms, and this ceasefire will allow us to bring all stakeholders together to try to end this permanently,” he said.

What is the current situation?

The fighting led to the closure of most roads leading to Kurram, and news reports emerged that even ambulances were targeted by unknown men.

Schools in Parachinar remained closed, while markets saw little activity. Jan, who is also a trader, said the closure of roads led to shortages of food and other necessary items, making it difficult for anyone needing to leave town in case of an emergency.

“After the ceasefire, we are hoping that life returns to normal. Right now, people are travelling in convoys only, with police and paramilitary forces guarding the roads leading out of Kurram,” he said.

Jan also added that the fighting resulted in the closure of the mobile data network, but fixed lines were working.

Mehsud, the government official, said that after the pause in fighting, there is an uneasy calm in the area but he expressed hope that normal activity in the region should resume soon.

“Naturally, there is an air of fear right now, and people are reluctant to step out of their homes. However, in the last two days, we have seen some semblance of normalcy, and things should improve,” he said.

ALJAZEERA

 

[BouncerGuy]

10 more killed in Kurram clashes

Fresh clashes between rival groups in Kurram district left at least 10 more people dead on Wednesday, pushing the death toll from five days of fighting to 30 with 70 others injured.

The police and hospital sources said that the clashes started after Boshehra tribes of upper Kurram started setting up bunkers on the lands of Ahmadzai tribes. They added that the fight spread to other areas.

They said that 10 people were killed and 30 others were injured in fresh clashes in Balishkhel, Sadda, Khar Kallay, Peewar, Maqbal and other areas. They said that the main Parachinar highway and other roads in the area remained closed to traffic due to the clashes.

They said that all educational institutions in the area had also been closed for an indefinite period.

Local residents said that the rival groups used heavy weapons to target each other’s positions.

Kurram deputy commissioner Javedullah Mahsud said that his administration was making efforts through a tribal jirga to ensure the warring tribes ceased fire. He said that the jirga members had been dispatched to different areas for the purpose.

Meanwhile, the Kurram bar association has moved a local court over the frequent tribal clashes and lawlessness, which has made the life of common people miserable.

DAWN NEWS

 

[FearlessRoar]

5 more killed, 15 injured in KP’s Kurram clashes as latest wave of violence enters 8th day

Five more people were killed and 15 injured on Friday as fresh clashes — which first emerged last week — between rival tribes in different areas of Kurram district continued into the eighth day, bringing the total number of casualties to 46 dead and 96 injured, a hospital official said.

Police and hospital sources last week told Dawn that the clashes started after Boshehra tribes of upper Kurram started setting up bunkers on the lands of Ahmadzai tribes, with the dispute quickly engulfing other areas as well.

On Wednesday, sources said that at least 10 people were killed were injured in in Balishkhel, Sadda, Khar Kallay, Peewar, Maqbal and other areas, adding that the main Parachinar Highway and other roads in the area were closed due to traffic.

Kurram District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Medical Superintendent Dr Qaiser Abbas Banghash confirmed the latest death toll to Dawn.com today.

Former federal minister Sajid Toori acknowledged that routine activities was badly affected due to armed clashes, but hoped the situation would normalise soon, calling on people to solve their problems amicably.

Separately, Majlis Wahdat Muslimeen (MWM) parliamentary leader Engineer Hameed Hussain staeged a protest outside the Parachinar Press Club, citing the failure of the institutions responsible for law and order to establish peace.

Serious efforts being made to maintain law and order: KP CM
Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur said a day earlier that serious efforts were being made to maintain law and order in the province, especially in the southern districts.

“After the improvement of the law and order situation in southern districts, more checkposts will be handed over to the police. However, before that happens, there is a need for enhancing the capabilities of police,” Gandapur said in a statement issued from the CM’s secretariat on Thursday.

The chief minister said that the current conflict in Kurram tribal district was related to some groups and the provincial government was taking steps to resolve the issue peacefully.

He said the provincial government was working to resolve the problem permanently.

Gandapur said negotiations were underway to address the conflict in Khyber tribal district as well and it was likely to be resolved by Friday.

He said that people in the Mir Ali area would be compensated and the cattle market would be handed over to the residents after reconstruction, adding that the relief department had issued directions in that respect

5 more killed, 15 injured in KP’s Kurram clashes as latest wave of violence enters 8th day

Hospital official says death toll at 46, 96 injured; CM says serious efforts being made to maintain law and order.

www.dawn.com

 

[BouncerGuy]

11 killed, 8 injured in Kurram firing incidents

At least 11 people were killed and eight were injured in shooting incidents in Kunj Alizai area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district, hospital and local officials said on Saturday.

Kurram Deputy Commissioner (DC) Javidullah Mehsud confirmed the death toll to Dawn.com.

“There was shooting in the Kunj Alizai mountains near the Pak-Afghan border and on the roads there,” DC Mehsud said.

Mir Hassan, medical superintendent of the District Headquarters Hospital, told Dawn.com that a total of nine injured people were brought to the hospital, out of which one succumbed to their injuries while treatment of the rest was under way.

He added that the condition of three of the wounded was “critical”.

DC Mehsud asserted that steps were being taken to make the entry and exit routes to Kurram safe and to restore law and order in the region.

Last month, at least 46 people were killed and 91 were injured in days-long violence that had erupted over a land dispute. A previous bout of clashes in July had also resulted in 49 deaths.

In September, the district administration had engaged a local jirga to facilitate negotiations between two rival tribes. The KP government has also formed a land commission to resolve land disputes.

DAWN NEWS

 

[BouncerGuy]

Two FC men martyred in Kurram

Two Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were martyred when unidentified shooters opened fire on Tall Scouts in the Char Khel area of Lower Kurram district on Monday, police sources said.

The attack was carried out at a time when half a million residents have been facing acute shortage of daily commodities due to uncertain situation in the district, with several roads closed and public transport off the road.

The police sources said that the FC personnel were deployed for the protection of road users when some unidentified armed men attacked them. The two FC personnel suffered injuries in the attack and were rushed to Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Tall.

Later, police sources said both personnel could not survive.

Meanwhile, locals complained that roads were closed and patients could not be transported to hospitals, adding that there was acute shortage of medicines in the area.

Medical superintendent of district headquarters hospital of Parachinar, Dr Syed Meer Hassain Jan, said that patients, who could not be treated at the DHQ were required to be referred to other hospitals, but they could not be transported due to closure of roads.

The residents said instead of closures, roads should be secured. They complained that children could not go to schools due to closed roads. They said that in areas where schools were open, the students could not be transported due to shortage of fuel in the area.

Farmers lamented that since roads were closed, seeds could not be transported to the district timely besides there was also acute shortage of fertilisers in the area.

Also, traders and goods transporters demanded immediate opening of roads. They said that Kharlachi border crossing with Afghanistan was also closed, adding that the routes should be secured for durable peace in the area.

DAWN NEWS

 

[FearlessRoar]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1854538619882471541

 

[FearlessRoar]

At least 38 dead in gun attack on passenger vans in KP’s Kurram District: police

At least 38 people were killed in a gun attack carried out on passenger vans in the Ochat area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lower Kurram region on Thursday, according to the police.

Ahmady Shama Station House Officer Kaleem Shah told Dawn.com that 38 people were killed, including three women, and 11 were injured.

The same toll was given by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi while speaking to the media outside the Islamabad High Court.

“This past week has been difficult and upsetting, now 38 people have been martyred in Kurram,” he said. “We see a new incident every day now and are in constant contact with the KP authorities, KP inspector general of police and the chief minister. They need help.

“They are one of our provinces, a part of our country and we will not leave them behind,” the interior minister said. “We are going to help however we can.”

Providing details of the incident, KP government spokesperson Barrister Dr Saif said police personnel were attacked first, and then the passenger convoy was targeted from both sides. “Around 200 vehicles were in the convoy,” he said.

He said the district administration, senior police officials and officers were present at the scene. Barrister Saif added that an investigation into the incident was ongoing.

Kurram Deputy Commissioner (DC) Javedullah Mehsud told AFP that “two separate convoys of members of the Shia community … were targeted by the terrorists in the Kurram district.

“Both convoys consisted of around 40 vehicles travelling under police escort.”

DC Mehsud further said that “women and children sought refuge in local houses, and we are currently searching for [the attackers] in the area.”

Talking to Dawn.com, he said sectarian attacks had occurred in the past but civilians were also targeted in the current attack thus terrorism could not be ruled out. He said there were land disputes between tribes in Kurram.

Earlier, Tehsil Head Quarters (THQ) Hospital Alizai Medical Superintendent Dr Muhammad Ishaq said 33 people were killed and 30 injured, adding that the latter were being referred to various hospitals in the district and some to Peshawar.

KP Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry told Reuters that “the death toll is likely to rise”.

President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the incident and expressed his condolences to the bereaved of the deceased.

“Attacking innocent passengers is a cowardly and inhumane act,” he was quoted as saying in a post on X by PPP’s media cell.

He added that those responsible for the incident should be punished. He urged that timely medical aid be provided to the injured.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif similarly ordered that the best medical facilities be provided to the people injured in the attack in a statement condemning the attack.

He issued a directive to identify the attackers and punish them.

“The enemies of the peace of the country attacked the convoy of innocent citizens which is tantamount to brutality. All attempts of anti-national elements to destroy the peace of the beloved country will be thwarted.

“The evil elements involved in the incident will be identified and punished accordingly. Saboteurs cannot demoralise the brave Pakistani nation by such cowardly actions,” he said.

KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur took strict notice of the incident and also condemned it.

He directed a delegation comprising the chief secretary, provincial law minister and the area’s MNA and MPA to visit Kurram immediately and personally assess the conditions there and submit a report.

The chief minister also called for the area’s jirga to be reactivated to improve the situation in Kurram.

“Work should be done to establish a provincial highways police to secure all highways in the province,” CM Gandapur said in directions to authorities.

“The provincial government, police and all relevant institutions are making serious efforts to improve the law and order situation in the area,” he said.

Announcing financial assistance for the families of those killed in the attack, CM Gandapur said targeting innocent citizens was “extremely regrettable and condemnable”.

“The elements involved in the incident cannot escape the clutches of the law,” he vowed.

The incident comes amid a sharp uptick in the number of terrorist attacks in Balochistan and KP.

Attacks escalated after the banned militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan outfit broke a fragile ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022 and vowed to target security forces.

Last month, two terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation in KP’s North Waziristan district.

Twelve security personnel were martyred after a checkpost was targeted in the Mali Khel area of KP’s Bannu, the military’s media affairs wing said a day ago.

At least 38 dead in gun attack on passenger vans in KP’s Kurram District: police

SHO says 11 people injured; Kurram DC says two separate convoys were of members of the Shia community; President Zardari, KP CM condemn attack.

www.dawn.com

 

[mazkhan]

Massive level of killings going on.

But bewal will still say it's establishments fault, fault of shahbaz sharif and there is no need for operation.

It's high time pti is declared a terrorist organisation removed from kpk governance the kpk leader gandapur thrown in jail and governor raj announced in kpk and a full ww2 style blitzkreig invasion carried out against the taliban in former fata tribal areas and adjoining kpk districts that border hard on fata the main epicentre is that waziiristan which needs pummelling and the whole area regarded as traitors , if these mullah parties diesel , j islami , and ethnofacsists like ptm get in the way lump them with the khwarij ttp and roll the tanks over them.

I want china and Chinese troops involved this time because unlike the pak military they will finish this nonsense once and for all china doesn't do jirgas , bring ulema , peace treaties with mithai and garlands , gestures of releasing convicted terrorists . As we saw they pretty quickly dealt with an insurgency In xianjiang and got rid of the beginnings of isis that was forming there.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Fighting between armed sectarian groups in restive northwestern Pakistan kills at least 33 people

Fighting between armed Sunni and Shiite groups in northwestern Pakistan killed at least 33 people and injured 25 others, a senior police officer from the region said Saturday.

The overnight violence was the latest to rock Kurram, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and comes days after a deadly gun ambush killed 42 people.

Shiite Muslims make up about 15% of the 240 million people in Sunni-majority Pakistan, which has a history of sectarian animosity between the communities.

Although the two groups generally live together peacefully, tensions remain, especially in Kurram.

The senior police officer said armed men in Bagan and Bacha Kot torched shops, houses and government property.

Intense gunfire was ongoing between the Alizai and Bagan tribes in the Lower Kurram area.

“Educational institutions in Kurram are closed due to the severe tension. Both sides are targeting each other with heavy and automatic weapons,” said the officer, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Videos shared with The Associated Press showed a market engulfed by fire and orange flames piercing the night sky. Gunfire can also be heard.

The location of Thursday’s attack was also targeted by armed men, who marched on the area.

Survivors of the gun ambush said assailants emerged from a vehicle and sprayed buses and cars with bullets. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack and police have not identified a motive.

Dozens of people from the district’s Sunni and Shiite communities have been killed since July, when a land dispute erupted in Kurram that later turned into general sectarian violence.

AP NEWS

 

[FearlessRoar]

KP govt helicopter 'attacked' in Parachinar​

A helicopter carrying a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government delegation was fired upon while en route from Kohat to Parachinar on Saturday.

Despite the attack, all members of the delegation and the helicopter remained unharmed, successfully landing in Parachinar.

The delegation, led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Law Minister Aftab Alam Advocate, was on a mission to address the tense situation in Kurram district and reactivate the peace jirga aimed at restoring law and order. Other members on board included Chief Secretary Aslam Chaudhry, the Kohat DIG, the Kohat Division commissioner, and other senior officials.

The delegation had left for Parachinar on the instructions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to review the region’s law and order situation and seek community-based resolutions. Sources revealed that as the helicopter entered the Parachinar limits, unidentified assailants opened fire. However, the crew ensured a safe landing for the delegation, which remained safe.

Later, Chief Secretary Chaudhry said efforts were being made to resolve the issues in Kurram through a jirga, however, he added that firing was still ongoing in different areas.

"No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands anymore," he stressed, regretting the situation that had developed so far.

He further stated that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was trying to resolve the issues as soon as possible and impose a ceasefire in all the areas. "Meetings are underway with tribal elders, and peace will be restored soon," the CS vowed, adding that Pakistan Army troops are present in different areas.

Violence has escalated in Lower Kurram as heavy and automatic weapon fire continues between rival tribal groups. According to police sources, at least 15 people have been killed and 25 injured in the ongoing clashes since Friday night.

The violence erupted following an attack on passenger vehicles, which led to a series of retaliatory confrontations between the two sides, they added. In response to the deteriorating security situation, educational institutions across Kurram district have been closed for the day. Authorities have urged residents to stay indoors as tensions remain high.

Govt helicopter 'attacked' in Parachinar

A Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government delegation led by Law Minister Aftab Alam was fired upon in Parachinar. Despite the attack, the helicopter landed safely, and all delegates remained unharmed. The visit aimed to address tensions and restore order.

www.samaa.tv

 

[hassan918]

Fighting between armed sectarian groups in restive northwestern Pakistan kills at least 33 people

Fighting between armed Sunni and Shiite groups in northwestern Pakistan killed at least 33 people and injured 25 others, a senior police officer from the region said Saturday.

The overnight violence was the latest to rock Kurram, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and comes days after a deadly gun ambush killed 42 people.

Shiite Muslims make up about 15% of the 240 million people in Sunni-majority Pakistan, which has a history of sectarian animosity between the communities.

Although the two groups generally live together peacefully, tensions remain, especially in Kurram.

The senior police officer said armed men in Bagan and Bacha Kot torched shops, houses and government property.

Intense gunfire was ongoing between the Alizai and Bagan tribes in the Lower Kurram area.

“Educational institutions in Kurram are closed due to the severe tension. Both sides are targeting each other with heavy and automatic weapons,” said the officer, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Videos shared with The Associated Press showed a market engulfed by fire and orange flames piercing the night sky. Gunfire can also be heard.

The location of Thursday’s attack was also targeted by armed men, who marched on the area.

Survivors of the gun ambush said assailants emerged from a vehicle and sprayed buses and cars with bullets. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack and police have not identified a motive.

Dozens of people from the district’s Sunni and Shiite communities have been killed since July, when a land dispute erupted in Kurram that later turned into general sectarian violence.

AP NEWS

CM Gandapur calls on warring parties for ceasefire in Kurram​

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has appealed for a ceasefire in Kurram’s Parachinar region, where escalating clashes between local factions have raised concerns.

In a statement issued after an urgent video-link meeting, Gandapur underscored the importance of dialogue as the "best way to resolve disputes," proposing that a peaceful solution be sought through a traditional tribal jirga.

The meeting, held to review the ongoing tensions in Kurram District, included a delegation from the provincial government that had recently visited Parachinar.

The delegation provided Gandapur with a preliminary report, which included insights gathered during discussions with Shia community leaders in Parachinar.

They also shared proposals and demands raised by the community regarding the dispute’s resolution. Gandapur was briefed that the delegation would soon meet with Sunni elders to gather further input.

Expressing regret over recent violent incidents, Gandapur called the loss of life “deeply saddening and condemnable” and extended condolences to the bereaved families.

“Our aim is to prevent any future incidents of this nature,” he remarked, stressing that the provincial government remains committed to a sustainable and peaceful solution.

He also emphasised that the provincial government will chart a path forward based on consultations with local tribal elders, pledging to address all legitimate demands raised by the factions involved.

Gandapur directed the government delegation to engage with community leaders and present a final set of recommendations. “A ceasefire is essential for any progress toward resolving the conflict. I appeal to both parties to agree to a ceasefire, enabling us to move toward a solution,” he urged.

The chief minister also encouraged full cooperation between the local elders, government officials, and security personnel in maintaining peace, saying, “Establishing peace in the area is the provincial government’s top priority.

We are prepared to consider all available options to achieve this.”

Reiterating the importance of dialogue, Gandapur concluded, “Negotiation is the best path to resolving disputes. We are committed to finding a peaceful solution through the traditional jirga, in line with Pashtun customs.”

Source: The Express Tribune

 

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Ceasefire 'reached' between warring Kurram tribes after dozens killed​

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif has confirmed that the a seven-day ceasefire was agreed between the two warring tribes in the Kurram district after days of clashes that killed at least 30 people and injured dozens.

"The two parties have agreed to return each other's hostages and bodies," Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said in a statement on Sunday after he led the delegation, to meet the tribal leaders in a bid to stop the clashes.

He noted that the government delegation flew to Parachinar — Kurram's main city — on Saturday to meet leaders of both sides.

The delegation met both warring parties today to try to broker a ceasefire deal and then move to resolve the matter.

Armed groups have attacked settlements that are populated by members of rival groups.

"Approximately 300 families have relocated to Hangu and Peshawar since this morning in search of safety," a senior official told AFP, adding that more families were preparing to leave the violence-hit district.

The clashes started after gunmen attacked convoys of civilian vehicles on Thursday, killing at least 44. That sparked retaliatory attacks and there have been pitched battles between armed groups from both sides.

At least 75 people have been killed over the past three days in the ongoing gun battles between different tribes, according to police.

It is pertinent to mention here that tribal and family feuds are common in the area.

Last month, at least 16 people, including three women and two children, were killed in a clash in Kurram.

Previous clashes in July and September killed dozens of people and ended only after a jirga, or tribal council, called a ceasefire. HRCP said 79 people died between July and October in clashes.

Several hundred people demonstrated against the violence on Friday in Lahore and Karachi.

In Parachinar, the main town of Kurram district, thousands participated in a sit-in, while hundreds attended the funerals of the victims of Thursday’s attack.

The latest violence drew condemnation from officials and human rights groups.

The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) urged authorities this month to pay "urgent attention" to the "alarming frequency of clashes" in the region, warning that the situation has escalated to "the proportions of a humanitarian crisis."

Ceasefire 'reached' between warring Kurram tribes after dozens killed

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif has confirmed that the a seven-day ceasefire was agreed between the two warring tribes in the Kurram district after days of...

www.thenews.com.pk

 

[JaDed]

How is this not its own thread 88 ppl killed?

 

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Kurram clashes claim 14 more lives, as tally reaches 114

As per details, the Assistant Deputy Commissioner stated that the ongoing clashes started last night where both sides are using heavy weapons against each other.

The recent clashes came after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister’s Information and Public Relations Adviser Barrister Dr Saif claimed that the warring tribes have agreed on a 7-day ceasefire and the release of hostages in the Kurram District, after days of violence.

Speaking to ARY News he said that the official Jirga returned to Peshawar following the conclusion of a two-day visit to Kurram.

On November 24, at least 12 more lost live in clashes between two groups in Kurram.

According to police reports, the clashes occurred in the villages of Kalu Kunj, Badshah Kot, and Bagan Bazar in Lower Kurram, where armed individuals set fire to several houses, leaving many innocent women, children, and elderly people dead.

In separate clashes in Lower Kurram, the death toll reached 45, when a passenger van came under firing.

The incident occurred in Lower Kurram where vehicles coming to and from Peshawar and Kurram came under fire resulting in the death of 38 on the spot and several injured in critical condition initially.

The spokesperson of DPO Kurram stated that the Deputy Commissioner and DPO have reached the spot of incident. The SHO Yar Muhammad said the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital.

Kurram clashes claim 14 more lives, as tally reaches 114

KURRAM: At least 14 more dead, 13 others sustained injuries as the clashes continue in Kurram, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ARY News reported. As per details, the

arynews.tv

 

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Six more die in Kurram clashes and firing incidents

Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud has stated that the police and forces contingents have been deployed in several areas adding that an effort being made today to ensure ceasefire.

Hospital sources said that in skirmishes and firing incidents over vehicles 130 people have been died while 186 persons have sustained injuries.

A social worker Mir Afzal Khan has said that the main highway from Parachinar to Peshawar has been closed for last 50 days. “Oil, edible items and medicines have been unavailable in the area,” he said.

Kharlachi border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan has also been closed for trade and transportation.

On November 24, at least 12 more people lost lives in clashes between two groups in Kurram.

According to police reports, clashes occurred in the villages of Kalu Kunj, Badshah Kot, and Bagan Bazar in Lower Kurram, where armed individuals set several houses on fire, leaving many innocent women, children, and elderly dead.

In separate clashes in Lower Kurram, death toll reached to 45, when a passenger van came under firing.

The incident occurred in Lower Kurram where vehicles coming to and from Peshawar and Kurram came under fire resulting in death of 38 persons on the spot and several were injured in critical condition.

Six more die in Kurram clashes and firing incidents

KURRAM: At least six more people died, and eight others were injured as clashes and firing incidents continuing at various places in Kurram district of

arynews.tv

 

[BouncerGuy]

Kurram schools open as peace returns after jirga-brokered ceasefire

After days of violent clashes which left around 100 people dead, some semblance of peace returned to the restive district as educational institutions opened on Monday.

According to Kurram Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mahsud, all schools and colleges reopened in the district following a ceasefire brokered by a jirga.

Cellular services, which were suspended after clashes broke out last month, have also been resumed.

Despite the ceasefire, the main highway linking Parachinar in upper Kurram with the provincial capital Peshawar was still closed for traffic, a local told Dawn.

The ambush of a convoy of vehicles on November 21, in which around 40 people were killed, took place on the highway. The road has been closed to traffic since then.

The local told Dawn that the main road was used by vehicular convoys on only ten of the past 50 days.

The closure of roads created an acute shortage of edible items and other daily-use items in the district.

Kurram DC Mahsud has said warring sides have vacated the trenches — used to attack each other — which have been occupied by security forces and police.

Jirga meets CM

Meanwhile, a grand jirga constituted by the provincial government to resolve the clashes met Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Monday.

The meeting agreed to initiate formal negotiations to address the dispute and restore durable peace in the district.

During the meeting, the jirga members assured their full cooperation with the provincial government and expressed commitment to resolving the issue through peaceful means.

The jirga is expected to visit Kurram in the coming days to initiate the dialogue.

Prominent members of the jirga included former federal minister Pir Noorul Haq Qadri, former senators Saleh Shah and Sajad Khan, former federal minister Ghazi Gulab Jamal, former KP governor Engineer Shaukatullah, and Senator Abdul Raziq and others.

Advisor to KP CM Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif was also present in the meeting.

CM Gandapur thanked the jirga members for their support and assured them that the provincial government would provide all necessary assistance and resources to facilitate the negotiation process. He expressed hope that the jirga’s efforts would lead to a peaceful and lasting solution to the dispute in Kurram.

Last week, the KP CM ordered security forces to carry out indiscriminate action against “militants” in Kurram.

He had ordered security forces to dismantle the bunkers and requested the federal government to deploy additional platoons of paramilitary Frontier Constabulary to maintain peace.

DAWN NEWS

 

[BouncerGuy]

Jirga reaches Kurram, medicines supplied through copter

While a peace jirga comprising representatives from all the tribal districts and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reached Kurram district to hold talks with both warring groups in the Sadda and Parachinar areas, the provincial government on Wednesday supplied life-saving medicines to the volatile district through helicopter.

According to Umar Farooq, a jirga member, the 125-member team reached Kurram on Tuesday evening and spent the night at the residence of former MNA Munir Orakzai after it was advised not to travel to Sadda and Parachinar during the night.

He said jirga members also tried to go to Sadda and Parachinar on Wednesday, but the Bagan tribesmen stopped them from continuing their journey.

However, the jirga members used alternative routes to reach Sadda, Mr Farooq said, adding that they held negotiations with the representatives of one group and would now go to Parachinar to meet the other side.

He told the media that they had come to Kurram on behalf of the entire Pashtun community and would make every effort to establish peace in coordination with the representatives of the two groups.

A ceasefire was enforced by the district administration after armed clashes between the two sides left 133 people, including women and children, dead.

Despite the ceasefire, transportation routes and the Afghan border remain closed, causing immense problems for residents in the district.

Meanwhile, the KP government provided its helicopter for supply of medicines to the restive district. The helicopter airlifted life-saving medicines worth Rs6.3 million on Wednesday.

A statement issued from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat read that the decision, to supply medicines via helicopter, was taken due to shortage of medicines and road blockage in the district. It read the government supplied two consignments on Wednesday, adding that the CM’s adviser and the provincial health secretary were monitoring the distribution of medicines.

Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur emphasised that the availability of essential medicines must be ensured at all times and instructed that air deliveries should remain operational until the ground connectivity was fully restored. “The provincial government is committed to utilising all available resources to ensure the uninterrupted supply of medicines to the area,” the statement quoted the chief minister as saying.

In a separate development, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram announced that the party will not attend the multi-party conference (MPC) called by KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi.

“The decision has been made because innocent and peaceful citizens were killed [in Islamabad] and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was supporting it. PPP also played role in passing the resolution against PTI in Balochistan Assembly,” he said.

DAWN NEWS

 

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Grand jirga brokers ‘indefinite ceasefire’ in Pakistan district after sectarian clashes— official​

A grand council of elders formed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has brokered a ceasefire in the restive Kurram district for an indefinite period, an official said on Friday, where sectarian clashes since last month have killed at least 133.

The KP government this week formed the grand jirga or council of elders comprising former parliamentarians and senators from tribal districts, with representation from both the Sunni and Shiite sects, to broker a truce between warring tribes. The decision was taken after clashes in the volatile Kurram district killed 133 and injured 171 since Nov. 21.

Pakistan is a Sunni-majority country, but Kurram has a large Shiite population, and the communities have clashed for decades. The latest round of clashes broke out in the restive district after a caravan of Shiites was attacked in Parachinar town last Thursday, killing 41.

“The grand jirga held individual as well as collective settings with both the sides and after the hours-long deliberations, agreed on a ceasefire in Kurram district for an indefinite period,” Commissioner Kohat Division Syed Motasim Billah Shah told Arab News.

“And the bunkers will remain empty until the final decision of the grand jirga.”

Javedullah Mehsud, Kurram district’s deputy commissioner, said authorities were using a “multi-pronged policy” to resolve the issue, which included the deployment of security officials in sensitive locations and the jirga engaging in talks with rival sides.

“The jirga is heading in the right direction and we expect a permanent ceasefire in the next three, four or five days,” Mehsud told Arab News.

Shaheen Bangash, a Sunni member of the council, said both warring tribes earnestly want peace and harmony. However, he doubted the jirga could succeed in striking a peace deal.

“De-weaponizing Kurram region was the shortest possible route to avoid bloody clashes in future,” he said.

Bangash urged the government to help resolve land disputes in Kurram, pointing out that in most cases, a small dispute developed into an armed clash leading to tensions.

“The government, Shiite and Sunni are the three main stakeholders in the Kurram saga,” Bangash said.” And there are a few people who created constant disharmony in this sensitive region.”

Since last Thursday, days of fighting with light and heavy weapons have brought the region to a standstill, with major roads closed and mobile phone services cut as the death toll surged.

Kurram police spokesperson Riaz Hussain told Arab News that no fresh clashes had been reported during the last two days.

However, he said the main highways connecting the district with Peshawar and other adjacent areas such as the Thall-Parachinar Road had been blocked for the movement of passenger vehicles.

“The ceasefire is so far in place in Kurram and no fresh firing incident has been reported as of yet,” he added.

Hajji Abid Hussain, a Shiite elder and former president of Anjuman-e- Hussainia Parachinar, the biggest social, religious and political platform of the Shiite community in the district, told Arab News that he was optimistic about the jirga’s progress in maintaining peace in the area.

Hussain, also a member of the jirga, was also of the view that resolving small land disputes was a prerequisite to ensure lasting peace in the district.

“The jirga members are shuttling between both the rival sides, holding negotiations with the elders,” he said. “I’m very optimistic that a breakthrough to achieve durable ceasefire is expected very soon.”

Grand jirga brokers ‘indefinite ceasefire’ in Pakistan district after sectarian clashes— official

ISLAMABAD: A grand council of elders formed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has brokered a ceasefire in the restive Kurram district for an indefinite period, an official said on Friday, where sectarian clashes since last month have killed at least 133. The KP government this week...

www.arabnews.pk

 

[BouncerGuy]

Negotiations for peace in Kurram continue

Pashtun Qaumi Jirga comprising all political parties and the provincial government-sponsored jirga separately held negotiations with representatives of the two sides to Kurram conflict to restore lasting peace in the region.

Amid the peace negotiations continuing for the last five days, main Parachinar road and other arteries in the area remained closed to traffic.

Malik Naseer Kokikhel, Shahpur Khan and Mufti Kifayatullah told journalists on Saturday that the members of Pashtun Qaumi Jirga held negotiations with the elders of both the parties in Sadda, Parachinar and other places in Kurram tribal district.

On the other hand, the provincial government-sponsored jirga, consisting of elders of Orakzai, Hangu and Kohat, is also engaged in negotiations with the elders of the two sides in the commissioner’s office in Kohat.

According to the deputy commissioner of Kurram, Javedullah Mahsud, the elders during the jirga in Kohat had agreed to an indefinite ceasefire agreement and negotiations were underway for a formal ceasefire agreement.

DAWN NEWS

 

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Grand peace jirga 'fails to reach consensus' on Kurram crisis

The Kohat Grand Peace Jirga convened to address the ongoing crisis in Kurram district failed to reach a consensus a day earlier, sources confirmed to Geo News on Wednesday.

The talks, ongoing for about a week, will continue today, focusing on restoring peace and reopening the region’s central highway, which remains blocked.

The deteriorating security situation has severely disrupted daily life in Kurram. Food, petrol, and medical supplies are critically low, with residents struggling to access essential services.

Gas shortages have forced the closure of tandoors and restaurants, exacerbating the community’s hardships.

Meanwhile, addressing the grand jirga, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Adviser on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif urged unity and collaboration to restore peace.

"Hatred must end for war to cease," he said. Saif assured participants that the provincial government is taking measures, including the delivery of medicines via helicopters and exploring the restoration of air travel services to the region.

He emphasised the urgency of removing private bunkers from the central highway and disarming the area of heavy weaponry.

Saif went on to say that both tribes desire peace, but certain elements have vested interests in perpetuating conflict, which he said cannot be identified without the collaboration of public.

He also pledged strict action against those hindering peace efforts.

The KP Cm's aide urged the grand jirga participants to find a permanent solution to the conflict and also expressed hope that the ceasefire deal would be followed on a long-term basis.

He further said that CM Ali Amin Gandapur has also formed a committee to supervise the peace process between the warring tribes.

District Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud highlighted ongoing initiatives to normalise the situation and assist affected residents.

However, locals stressed the need for a sustainable resolution, calling for the permanent reopening of the Peshawar-Parachinar highway to ensure lasting peace.

Due to the violence that started last month and claimed over 130 lives, elected representatives from Kurram district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly had on Tuesday demanded the government to launch a de-weaponisation drive in the lower and upper Kurram district.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority, meanwhile, has provided relief goods worth Rs150 million to the deputy commissioner Kurram for onward distribution among the affectees of the violence.

Last week's All Parties Conference (APC) raised alarm over the deteriorating law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). It highlighted over 200 fatalities in Kurram unrest this year, blaming ineffective governance at both federal and provincial levels.

It also called for immediate measures, including the release of funds allocated for tribal districts under the National Finance Commission (NFC) award, which has been inactive for more than two years.

Grand peace jirga 'fails to reach consensus' on Kurram crisis

Kurram residents face food, fuel, and medicine shortages.Helicopter services ensure critical medicine supply to Kurram.Government considers reinstating Kurram air transport services.The Kohat Grand...

www.geo.tv

 

[BouncerGuy]

KP apex committee decides to dismantle all Kurram bunkers in bid to restore peace

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa apex committee decided on Friday to dismantle all bunkers in the Kurram District in a bid to restore peace in the area, where weeks-long deadly tribal clashes have resulted in a law and order situation.

Scores have been wounded and many displaced in the clashes in Kurram that have killed at least 130 people since last month. The clashes started in the wake of an attack on a convoy that claimed at least 43 lives.

Residents have reported food and medicine shortages in parts of Kurram district, which borders Afghanistan, as the government struggles to end a reignited feud between tribes stemming from decades-old land disputes.

As a jirga continued making efforts for long-term peace in the district, the apex committee meeting — chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur — decided to “dismantle all bunkers in Kurram and remove heavy weapons”.

“Lasting peace is not possible without the eradication of bunkers and weapons,” said a statement released after the meeting.

The provincial government has already declared that the situation in Kurram will normalise only after the armed groups voluntarily surrendered heavy weapons and vacated the bunkers used to target each other.

The committee also announced the timely provision of medicines and other essential items.

Participants at the apex committee included senior civil and military leadership, relevant members of the provincial cabinet, as well as officials from the relevant divisional and district administrations.

The meeting was to review the situation in Kurram, the KP government’s measures to restore peace, and other related matters, according to an official statement released earlier.

“The forum will also determine a future course of action for achieving sustainable peace in the area through consultations with all relevant stakeholders.”

The official statement added that the meeting would be briefed on the progress made so far by the “grand jirga” formed by the provincial government to restore peace in the district.

The jirga has been holding talks with members from both warring tribes but a permanent peace deal is elusive.

Another official statement earlier declared that CM Gandapur had decided to provide wheat to Kurram residents at subsidised rates and directed the food department and district administration to take immediate steps in this regard.

The provincial government on Thursday continued to supply medicines to Kurram via an MI-17 helicopter. Two consignments of medicines were delivered to the Sadda area, according to a statement, which added that the 3,600kg shipment included emergency medicines and essential vaccines.

On Wednesday, the provincial government rejected a claim of the Kurram chemists and druggist association about 60 deaths from medicine shortages, and insisted medicine supply to the district had never been stopped or disrupted.

Naqvi vows ‘full support’ for increasing LEAs’ capabilities in KP

Ahead of the apex committee moot today, Naqvi arrived at the chief minister’s office in Peshawar, where the two exchanged views on establishing peace in Kurram, according to a statement by the interior ministry.

“We will fully support increasing the capabilities of law enforcement agencies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Establishing peace in Kurram is our top priority,” Naqvi was quoted as saying.

He assured the KP CM of “every possible cooperation” in that regard. The minister stressed the need to take steps for long-term peace in the tribal district with consultation from all stakeholders, the statement added.

During the meeting, Naqvi and CM Gandapur also paid tribute to the security personnel who embraced martyrdom while combating terrorism.

DAWN NEWS

 

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K-P apex committee decides to eliminate all bunkers in Kurram​

A special meeting of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Apex Committee, chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, was held to discuss the security situation in the province's Kurram district, Express News reported.

The meeting was attended by the Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi, Corps Commander Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa IGP, chief secretary, and other senior civil and military officials. The current situation in Kurram District was reviewed in detail.

According to the apex committee, challenges will remain until the bunkers are removed and weapons are collected, but the situation will improve thereafter.

Both the federal and provincial governments agreed on joint actions and collaboration. Dialogue with both parties will be conducted through tribal elders.

As the situation improves, roads and routes will be opened, and the supply of medicines and other essential goods to Kurram will continue. The federal and provincial governments will jointly make decisions to improve the situation.

Earlier, Chief Minister Gandapur had reiterated that the provincial government was committed to ensuring permanent peace in Kurram, as per the cabinet's directive.

The decision to eliminate bunkers and weapons was seen as a necessary step toward achieving this goal.

Naqvi, Gandapur Meet to Discuss Kurram Peace

Prior to the Apex Committee meeting, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur held a meeting to address the ongoing law and order crisis in Kurram district, which has seen over 130 deaths from clashes in recent weeks.

During the meeting, Naqvi offered full cooperation to the K-P government and emphasised enhancing law enforcement capabilities. Both leaders honored security personnel martyred in the fight against terrorism.

The apex committee meeting, attended by civil and military officials, is expected to focus on restoring peace, providing essential goods, and addressing the long-term stability of the region. CM Gandapur also announced subsidised wheat for Kurram residents.

KP Apex Committee meeting decides to eliminate all bunkers in Kurram | The Express Tribune

KP Apex Committee meeting decides to eliminate bunkers and weapons in Kurram for lasting peace.

tribune.com.pk

 

[FearlessRoar]

Medical supplies shortage in Parachinar has left 50 children dead since road closure: officials

At least 50 children have died in Parachinar due to the recent shortage of medicines caused by the closure of roads leading to the city in the aftermath of armed violence between warring tribes last month in the restive Kurram tribal district, officials said.

Thousands of people have been stranded in Parachinar because of clashes that have killed at least 130 people since last month.

Residents have reported food and medicine shortages in parts of the Kurram district, which borders Afghanistan, as the government struggles to end a reignited feud between tribes stemming from decades-old tensions over farmland.

Dr Zulfiqar Ali, a paediatrician at the DHQ Hospital in Parachinar, told Dawn.com today that 51 children in the city had died due to a “shortage of medicine”, adding that the situation was getting worse due to a lack of medical oxygen and heating apparatus.

Philanthropist Faisal Edhi corroborated the figure, stating that more than 50 children had died in the hospitals in Parachinar due to a lack of treatment.

Separately, at least 45 people in “critical condition” were moved to different hospitals in the provincial capital from Kurram via air ambulances over the past four days, Edhi Foundation official Saad Edhi told Dawn.com, adding that three dead were sent back to the conflict-ridden area.

Saad said that while the Edhi Foundation would continue to provide its services in the region, the problems in the city were not solvable via an air ambulance.

“The government should open the routes by tonight so that normalcy can be brought back to the area,” he said, adding that around 2,000kg worth of medicines supplies were delivered to the area.

Ali Hadi Irfani, an MPA from Kurram, also said that rather than concerning itself with “unnecessary decisions”, the government should immediately open transportation routes.

Medical supplies shortage in Parachinar has left 50 children dead since road closure: officials

Govt urged to reopen closed road to ease difficulties for the locals.

www.dawn.com

 

[BouncerGuy]

KP govt forms roadmap for peace in Kurram

As Kurram remains cut off from the rest of the country due to violent clashes that have claimed more than 100 lives since October, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has formulated a comprehensive peace plan involving a special force, security checkpoints, deweaponisation, and a crackdown on inflammatory social media.

As the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur mulled these measures, two people on their way to Parachinar were shot dead and decapitated in the Bagan area of the tribal district by unknown assailants on Monday.

In order to stem incidents of violence, the KP government will raise a special force to secure the Parachinar highway on which temporary checkpoints will be established, followed by permanent posts.

“A total of 399 personnel will be recruited for the purpose. Initially, temporary check posts will be established on the road, while permanent posts will be established in the future,” a statement said, adding that the road would be reopened after a peace agreement was signed between both groups.

The meeting, according to the official statement, also discussed that after the apex committee’s decision, all the illegal weapons in the area would be confiscated by February 1.

A special desk would, however, be established at the provincial home department for the issuance of arms licences on a need basis, the statement said, adding that the cabinet also decided to demolish all bunkers in Kurram by February 1.

The government also decided to launch a crackdown against people using social media sites for incitement. It was decided that a cell of the Federal Investigation Agency would be established to block the social media accounts involved in spreading sectarian hatred.

On the occasion, CM Gandapur said that Kurram’s issue was a conflict between two groups and not militancy. He said locals wanted peace but some elements were trying to destabilise the situation by spreading sectarian hatred.

Mr Gandapur said that there was a huge number of illegal weapons in the area. “The government does not have any policy of allowing armed groups to keep heavy weapons,” the statement quoted CM Gandapur as saying. He said that the government would not compromise on establishing its writ and protecting the life and property of the locals, adding that the government had involved jirgas at different levels to resolve this problem.

Participants of the meeting were told that jirgas were involved in finding a long-term solution to the Kurram violence. The government has also sent essential commodities, including medicines, to the district using its helicopter which has so far transported as many as 220 people.

The cabinet approved releasing wheat at subsidised rates to address the food shortage in Kurram and the finance department would allocate Rs47.110 million for 1,119 metric tonnes.

The CM also discussed a potential military operation in district Bannu’s Jani Khel and district Khyber’s Tirah areas, saying the government had not made any decision regarding a military offensive in these parts of the province.

It may be noted that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Apex Committee decided on Friday that temporary evacuations would be carried out in some parts of the Khyber and Bannu districts amid efforts to cleanse the areas of miscreants and ensure the safety of their residents.

Two killed in Kurram

Meanwhile, two persons were killed and later decapitated after being waylaid on their way towards Parachinar in Bagan area of district Kurram on Sunday night, police said on Monday.

Sources said that Ishaq Hussain and Waseem Hussain, residents of Parachinar who had returned from abroad, had hired the services of some persons to reach Parachinar. They were intercepted by the culprits on their way, however, and shot dead followed by decapitation.

National Assembly lawmaker Hameed Hussain and Jalal Hussain, a Turi tribal elder, strongly condemned the killing and demanded the arrest of the culprits. They said that the incident took place at a time when peace efforts were underway, adding that the government should secure the main highway.

Moreover, a protest over the closure of roads and the volatile law and order situation in the district continued for the fourth day. The situation in the tribal district deteriorated after a convoy of passenger vehicles came under attack in lower Kurram last month. The attack triggered armed clashes between the two groups which left over 130 persons.

The government later announced a seven-day peace deal that was later extended for three days and enforced by the district administration. Since then, a grand jirga has been holding negotiations.

DAWN NEWS

 

[BouncerGuy]

Angry tribesmen protest fresh killings in Kurram

Tribesmen on Tuesday held a protest along with the bodies of two passengers, who were killed in the Bagan area of Lower Kurram two days ago.

It may be mentioned that a sit-in against the lawlessness and closure of roads in Kurram district is already under way and entered its fifth day on Tuesday.

The bodies of Ishaq Hussain and Waseem Hussain, both residents of Parachinar, were found in the Bagan area with their throats slit, and handed over to the relatives earlier in the day. The tribesmen placed the bodies on the road and held a demonstration against the killings. They demanded immediate action against the killers.

Giving details of the incident, tribal leader Jalal Bangash quoted the relatives of the deceased, who were going to Parachinar from Peshawar, as saying that some people from the rival side, who were friends of the victims, had promised to provide them with safe passage to their areas. In return, they received Rs70,000 from them and yet they were killed, Mr Bangash deplored.

On Nov 21, a convoy came under attack in the Bagan area, in which at least 50 passengers were killed. The attack triggered fierce clashes in Kurram, in which scores of people have been killed so far. Since then, all roads in the district, including Parachinar Highway, remain closed to traffic.

The protesters demanded immediate re-opening of the Peshawar-Parachinar Highway, terming the situation “cruelty to millions of people”. They also castigated the provincial government which had claimed that the road could be opened in half an hour.

Kukikhel elder detained

Meanwhile, Jamrud police in a surprise move took into custody prominent Kukikhel elder Malak Naseer Ahmad, prompting the Kukikhel tribesmen to block the Peshawar-Torkham Highway in protest.

Sources in Jamrud said that Mr Ahmad, Malak Abdul Zahir Sher Khankhel and Saidgha Jan were called for a meeting with the DPO in the Shah Kas area. However, as soon as the meeting ended, the three men were arrested.

They said that the three men were then shifted to an unknown location. Though the exact reason behind their arrest could not be immediately known as the police had not released any statement in this regard, it was learnt that police had nominated Mr Ahmad along with over a dozen other Kukikhel tribesmen in an FIR registered against them after a protest demonstration, which was staged in October for the return of the Kukikhel displaced families to Tirah.

The Jamrud police nominated Malak Naseer Ahmad in another FIR for his alleged participation in the Pakhtun grand jirga organised by the proscribed Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement in October where he allegedly made anti-state speeches. The police nominated Saidgha Jan in a separate FIR accusing him of breaking into the Jamrud grid station, threatening the staff and forcibly switching off the power supply to commercial units.

Roads opening urged

In Islamabad, former federal minister Sajid Turi demanded the opening of roads in Kurram to avoid shortage of daily-use commodities.

Severe cold has hit the area and closure of routes has compounded people’s problems, he told reporters at the National Press Club, Islamabad.

Mr Turi said that air service and closure of roads were not a solution to the problem.

He dispelled the impression that Kurram unrest is an outcome of sectarian dispute and claimed that some foreign elements are involved in it. Anyone found involved in collusion with foreign elements should be exposed and taken to the task, he demanded. If the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments did not pay heed to the problem then they will also be free to act, Mr Turi warned.

DAWN NEWS

 

[FearlessRoar]

Kurram grand jirga: Peace agreement reached, both sides agree to disarm​

A peace agreement was reached during a grand jirga (tribal assembly) convened to address the ongoing situation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province's Kurram district.

The meeting, held in Kohat, concluded with both parties signing a peace accord, marking a crucial step towards restoring stability in Kurram, Express News reported.

According to the terms of the agreement, both factions have agreed to surrender heavy weapons to the government.

The final decision and official announcement of the agreement are expected to be made later today by the Commissioner of Kohat.

The signing of the peace agreement had been delayed previously due to the incomplete participation of the jirga members. However, both parties have now agreed on several key points of the accord, paving the way for peace in the region.

In yesterday's Jirga chaired by Commissioner Kohat, Mutassim Baullah and held at Kohat Fort, various points were discussed.

The administration has stated that until heavy weapons are removed, opening the roads remains a big risk. Helicopter services are ongoing across the district, with medicines and other supplies being delivered to Kurram via helicopters.

Meanwhile protests against the closure of roads in Kurram district had begun to spread in other parts of the country aswell as the sit-in in Parachinar has entered its sixth day. Roads blockages in the tribal district of Kurram, including Parachinar, continue.

In Parachinar itself, the sit-in on the main Kachehri Road in front of the Press Club has entered its sixth day.

Philanthropist Faisal Edhi has urged the government to take appropriate steps to resolve the crisis in Kurram district, warning that it may ignite unrest across the country.

He made this statement while addressing members of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) at the HRCP Karachi office on Friday.

Expressing concerns over the gravity of the situation, Faisal said that if proper records were maintained, it would reveal that more than a hundred children have already died due to the ongoing conflict.

He stressed that the situation was dire, with no medicines available for cancer patients or those suffering from brain haemorrhage.

He pointed out that there was also a severe shortage of oxygen and insulin, even in private hospitals, and medical procedures and operations have been suspended since the conflict began.

Meanwhile in Karachi the traffic police failed to ensure swift flow of traffic despite the announcement of protest sit-ins by the religious party in advance. There was complete chaos across the city as traffic jams were seen on main arteries and link roads.

Long queues of vehicles were formed on important roads including Sharea Faisal and MA Jinnah Road. Citizens faced difficulties in reaching their destinations.

A sit-in was held on both tracks of Sharea Faisal Kala Chapra, Main National Highway, Malir 15 Bridge Quaidabad, Abbas Town, and both tracks of University Road. Passengers going to the airport also faced extreme difficulties.

Addressing a press conference at Numaish Chowrangi, central leader of Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, Allama Hassan Zafer Naqvi, said that our protest is to express solidarity with the people of Parachinar.

Grand Jirga resumes in Kurram district | The Express Tribune

Final decision and official announcement of the agreement to be made later today by the Commissioner of Kohat.

tribune.com.pk

 

[BouncerGuy]

KP govt hopes Kurram peace accord will be inked today

The two warring sides in Kurram are likely to sign an agreement today (Tuesday) that would end the violence that has plagued the restive region for several weeks now, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government said on Monday.

“We are sure that an agreement would be signed during the meeting of the Grand Jirga, convened at 11am on Tuesday,” KP government spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif told reporters at the Peshawar Press Club.

Former federal minister Sajid Ali Turi, who is also a member of the Grand Jirga, told Dawn that district administration had convened the Jirga in Kohat, wherein a peace agreement will be singed and other steps for lasting peace, including opening of roads, would be followed.

Barrister Saif, on the other hand, said that one of the warring sides had agreed to sign the peace agreement after through deliberations, while the other side asked for two days to discuss the proposals, on Saturday. “The Jirga will meet 11am on Tuesday and they will join it,” he said.

He said that de-weaponisation of the district was one of the thorniest issues, which led to a prolonged delay in the signing of an accord. He said that KP Apex Committee and provincial cabinet had also decided that the both parties have to surrender their weapons. He said that both sides would surrender their weapons and demolish the bunkers, while the road to the area would be opened in the next phase.

Barrister Saif said that if the road was reopened while both sides retained their weapons, then tensions could flare up again and spread across the entire district.

“As a precautionary measure, we are not going open the road till the signing of the peace accord and government is assured that both parties are ready to surrender their weapons,” he said.

He said that as long as both parties possessed heavy weaponry, then the authorities could be establish peace in the district.

He said that the situation in the Kurram has resulted into loss of lives and road to Parachinar was also closed due to the clashes. He said that previously authorities managed to get the both parties agree to ceasefire agreement for a week which has been now been extended for indefinite period of time. In addition to this, Barrister Saif said that both parties were respecting the ceasefire agreement. However, he said that wherever there were flare-ups and violation of peace agreement, authorities with the assistance of security forces intervened to contain them.

He said that provincial government was working to resolve this issue once and for all. He said that achieve this, a Grand Tribal Jirga has been constituted by the provincial government and Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur himself travelled to Kohat at the start of jirga’s meeting.

Separately, Kurram residents are facing a crisis situation due to the closure of roads for past several weeks.

Mir Afzal Khan, a local elder told Dawn that the markets in the district have shut down after running out of edibles and other commodities. Besides, sit-ins were in progress in Parachinar, Sultan and Gosar areas of the district while another sit-in has started in Bagan area against the losses of houses and bazaars. The protesters are demanding of opening roads and compensation for their losses.

DAWN NEWS

 

[BouncerGuy]

Elders in Pakistan broker a peace deal between Sunni and Shiite tribes after deadly clashes

Tribal elders backed by local authorities in restive northwestern Pakistan on Wednesday brokered a peace deal between minority Shiites and majority Sunni tribes, weeks after deadly clashes that killed at least 130 people, officials said.

The violence had flared on Nov. 21, when gunmen ambushed a convoy of vehicles and killed 52 people, mostly Shiite Muslims. The argument was said to be over a land disute, at least initially.

No group claimed responsibility for the assault, which triggered retaliatory attacks by rival groups in Kurram, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan.

The violence left at least 130 people dead over the past two months. Though the two sides later agreed to a ceasefire, tension have persisted and all roads leading to Kurram have remained closed. The closures disrupted the local population’s access to medicine, food, fuel, education and work.

Mohammed Ali Saif, a provincial government spokesman, told The Associated Press that a push to negotiate a peace deal in Kurram succeeded on Wednesday. He said the deal, brokered by the tribal elders and facilitated by local authorities, would allow the roads to Kurram to reopen soon.

According to local elders, shortages of medicines at local hospitals in Kurram caused the deaths of at least 100 patients, mostly children, since November. The AP was not able to independently confirm the claim. Authorities in recent weeks have dispatched life-saving medicines to Kurram by helicopters.

Saif said that under the deal, the two sides agreed to dismantle their bunkers in the district and hand over their weapons to the government. Anyone in violation of the deal would be detained with the help of the elders, who also signed the agreement.

Tribal elder Sawab Khan confirmed the deal and its details to the AP.

Shiite Muslims dominate parts of Kurram, although they are a minority in the rest of Pakistan, which is majority Sunni. The area has a history of sectarian conflict, with militant Sunni groups previously targeting minority Shiites.

AP NEWS

 

[BouncerGuy]

Situation under control after Kurram DC injured in firing near Bagan: KP govt spokesperson

The situation in Kurram is “under control” after Deputy Commissioner (DC) Javedullah Mehsud was injured when unknown assailants fired at a convoy he was travelling in near Bagan on Saturday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif confirmed.

Just days earlier, the KP government on Wednesday said that both warring sides in Kurram districts had finally signed a peace agreement after more than three weeks of efforts to broker a ceasefire amid violence in the area.

Clashes stemming from decades-old land disputes have claimed at least 130 lives since November, with food and medicine shortages reported due to weeks-long road blockades.

Today’s incident comes as an aid convoy carrying food and other basic necessities was expected to leave for Kurram, ending the over 80-day-long road blockade of the restive region.

However, the main sit-in against road closures in the district — being staged outside the Parachinar Press Club — would continue, as its organisers decided to keep their agitation going until roads are open and secure. Another protest, demanding compensation for damage caused to homes and markets, was also underway in the Bagan area of Lower Kurram.

Barrister Saif had said in a statement that all travel and security-related arrangements were in place for the protection of the convoy.

Following today’s incident, Barrister Saif said that arrangements were being made to shift the DC to Peshawar via helicopter after he was brought to Alizai Hospital.

However, he said later in the day that DC Mehsud was being shifted to Thall Combined Military Hospital (CMH) where he was being provided with medical facilities.

“The DC is undergoing surgery but his condition is out of danger,” Barrister Saif said, who was present at the scene along with the Kokat Commissioner and Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG).

“Security personnel have taken complete control of the situation,” he said. “The attack is a sinister conspiracy of unknown miscreants.”

“I appeal to both Sunni and Shia parties to remain peaceful and not fall prey to the conspiracy,” Barrister Saif said.

He added that although the convoy had been temporarily stopped, a clearance process was underway, and the convoy would resume soon.

President Asif Ali Zardari stressed the need for strict action against those harming the peace in Kurram as he condemned the incident.

“Miscreants are enemies of the people who want to spread chaos,” he was quoted as saying in a post on X by PPP. “The people should not let the miscreants succeed in their nefarious purposes.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the incident and prayed for the recovery of the injured.

“An attempt was made to damage the peace agreement,” Shehbaz said in a statement issued by the PM’s Office.

“Those who disrupt law and order, and enemies of humanity will not be allowed to succeed. The government and security forces are actively working against terrorists,” PM Shehbaz said.

KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur sought a report of the incident from higher authorities, saying it was regrettable and condemnable that the attack came just days after a peace agreement was signed.

“The incident is a deliberate and nefarious but unsuccessful attempt to sabotage the government’s efforts for peace in Kurram,” Gandapur said, according to a statement issued by the CM House.

Strict action will be taken against those involved in the firing in accordance with the law, the CM said.

“The incident is the work of those who do not want peace to be restored in Kurram, Gandapur said. “The provincial government is determined to restore peace in Kurram and solve the problems faced by the people.”

The peace agreement is testimony to the fact that the people of Kurram are peaceful and want peace in the region, the CM said.

Gandapur added that the provincial government, together with the people of the area, would thwart the nefarious efforts of those who did not want peace restored in the region.

“The people of the area must help in identifying the miscreants and help in delivering aid to the areas,” he said.

KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said “firing on an aid convoy is clear proof of incompetence and failure of the provincial government,” Kundi was quoted as saying in a post on X by PPP.

The governor added that he would pray for the speedy recovery of DC Mehsud.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the incident, terming it a “conspiracy to sabotage the peace agreement”, according to a statement on X by the interior ministry.

KP govt giving top priority to Kurram victims amid cold weather

Around 17 truckloads of relief goods were dispatched to Kurram on the instructions of Gandapur, the KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said in a press release issued earlier today.

The aid was handed over to the Kurram administration from the warehouse of PDMA under the supervision of Naik Muhammad Khan, adviser to the Provincial Government for Relief, Rehabilitation and Resettlement.

To provide immediate relief to the victims in severe cold, the relief supplies included 500 tents, 500 mats, 500 blankets, 500 beds, 500 medical protective kits, 200 tarpaulins, 500 pillows, 50 solar lamps and 150 sleeping bags.

Naik Khan said that the Kurram victims were currently facing severe hardships, and their needs have increased due to extreme cold adding that the KP government was giving “top priority” to help the victims and is using all possible resources for their immediate rehabilitation.

He added that the PDMA and district administration were in contact working around the clock to meet victims’ needs.

The official also assured the public of ensuring transparent distribution of relief materials and said the rehabilitation and support of the victims is the top priority of the provincial government.

He added that the KP government was working together with all the institutions for the rehabilitation of the victims so that their problems were solved immediately.

DAWN NEWS

 

[BouncerGuy]

KP govt spokesperson vows peace ‘at all costs’, day after attack on Kurram DC

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif on Sunday said that peace would be ensured in Kurram “at all costs”, a day after Deputy Commissioner (DC) Javedullah Mehsud was injured when unknown assailants fired at a convoy he was travelling in near Bagan.

The KP government on Wednesday said that both warring sides in Kurram districts had finally signed a peace agreement after more than three weeks of efforts to broker a ceasefire amid violence in the area.

Clashes stemming from decades-old land disputes have claimed at least 130 lives in Kurram since November, with food and medicine shortages reported due to weeks-long road blockades.

The main sit-in against road closures in the district, held outside the Parachinar Press Club, persisted. Meanwhile, following yesterday’s shooting incident, the Bagan protest sit-in was relocated to Manduri, where the Bagan tribes continued to hold a demonstration for their demands.

In a statement issued today, the KP government spokesperson said that according to the agreement signed between the parties earlier this week, peace will be ensured in Kurram “at all costs”.

“We will fight the enemies of peace with iron fists,” Barrister Saif said.

Saif termed the attack on DC Mehsud a “failed nefarious conspiracy” to sabotage peace and said that people should be wary of those who want disruption, calling on the locals to cooperate with the administration and government to ensure lasting peace.

The attack was condemned by all senior governing bodies, including the president and premier.

The chief minister has taken strict notice of the attack and directed that those involved be brought to justice, he said.

He added that the aid convoy — carrying food and other necessities — was stopped temporarily and will be sent after receiving clearance.

DAWN NEWS

 

[BouncerGuy]

‘State’, govt responsible for sectarian fighting, says Fazl

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday insisted that the “state” and government were responsible for sectarian fighting and inflaming people’s sentiments in the country.

During a reception hosted by the JUI-F KP chapter at Nishtar Hall here, Mr Fazl said that the presence of sectarian elements in the country was an undeniable fact.

He added that it was the state institutions and government that fomented sectarian fighting before blaming it on religious groups.

The JUI-F leader said the recent Kurram violence was tribal in nature.

He wondered if it was truly a sectarian conflict, then why Hangu and Kohat, where both Shia and Sunni communities lived side by side, were peaceful.

Mr Fazl also said it was puzzling why the Kurram fighting didn’t affect nearby districts like Hangu, Kohat, Peshawar and Dera Ismail and instead, its “heat” was felt in far-off Karachi city and even Iranian capital Tehran.

He said that one sect’s representatives addressed a news conference in Islamabad, while those of the other sect did the same in Peshawar.

“Who is pulling the strings of these people and bringing them to the fore?”

The JUI-F chief claimed that his party was approached by both sides in Kurram, and when it came up with a solution, violence erupted the very next day.

Without naming anyone, he insisted that he received a message questioning his role to calm the situation.

Mr Fazl said that Pakistan’s democracy and parliamentary system were not perfect and therefore, they’re subjected to criticism.

He, however, said that a system shouldn’t be shunned due to its weaknesses and instead, everyone should work for its improvement.

The JUI-F leader said that his party’s efforts to strengthen democracy in the country would continue.

He said that leadership of all religio-political parties had worked to promote harmony within the nation.

“Our struggle for democracy will continue,” he said.

About a controversy about the madressah bill, Mr Fazl said that while the federal government was talking about mainstreaming seminaries, it was a fact that millions of youth graduating from universities and colleges had been driven for pillar to post for jobs.

“If the government can’t provide these graduates with employment, then what it will offer to seminarians,” he said.

The JUI-F chief said that the use of force whether it was against political workers at the D-Chowk or the local government representatives outside the KP Assembly in Peshawar was wrong, and he condemned it.

“Both of these incidents should be treated alike,” he said.

Mr Fazl said that those who stole elections and changed their results by force should bear in mind that they would face the fate of former Bangladesh prime minister Hasina Wajid or Syrian president Basharul Assad, who had to flee their countries due to people’s protests.

He said that the federal government did a U-turn on its commitment on the seminaries bill and tried to further complicate the issue, but the JUI-F successfully advocated the cause.

The JUI-F chief said that his was the only party to oppose the 26th Constitutional Amendment as the PTI did not take part in that process.

“We got the original 56 sections of the amendment bill reduced to 22 and inserted five of our own into it, bringing the total to 27,” he said.

Mr Fazl also said that his party stopped the government from narrowing the scope of Article 8 of the Constitution and making changes regarding the transfer of high court judges.

DAWN NEWS

 

[Cricket Warrior]

First aid convoy reaches Parachinar after talks, more supplies en route

A convoy carrying essential food and commercial goods has arrived in Parachinar from Torkham, marking a significant step in providing relief to the affected areas. The initial convoy consisted of 20 vehicles loaded with poultry, eggs, papad (a type of crispy flatbread), and other necessities.

Sources indicate that additional aid supplies have also reached Lower Kurram for flood victims. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) is distributing aid through 17 vehicles.

A trader representative stated that larger trucks carrying more essential goods are expected to arrive later tonight. The arrival of the poultry and egg trucks has already drawn large crowds of buyers.

Government sources confirmed that successful negotiations took place yesterday between government officials and local leaders, resulting in the authorization of the convoy’s departure last night.

Earlier, the Advisor to the Chief Minister on Information, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, had announced the dispatch of a 40-vehicle convoy carrying aid to Kurram, stating that the convoy was under helicopter surveillance. Government sources confirmed that the convoy was escorted under heavy security.

While sources indicate that 10 trucks were sent to Bagan and 12 vehicles to Parachinar, Barrister Saif reported a total of 40 vehicles in the aid convoy. He later clarified that a 10-vehicle convoy had reached Bagan and a 30-vehicle convoy was expected to arrive shortly in Parachinar and Upper Kurram.

Frontier Corps and police are deployed along the Torkham-Parachinar highway, with security forces maintaining continuous patrols.

First aid convoy reaches Parachinar after talks, more supplies en route

Frontier Corps and police are deployed along the Torkham-Parachinar highway

english.aaj.tv

 

[BouncerGuy]

Mehsud jirga demands halt to military operations

A jirga of Mehsud tribal elders on Friday demanded immediate return of the displaced persons to Upper South Waziristan district and a complete halt to military operations in the region.

The jirga was held in the Tank district on Friday, with a significant attendance of tribal elders, political and social figures and youth.

During the jirga, it was unanimously decided to present five key demands to the Inspector General of Frontier Corps (IGFC) South.

A delegation will meet the FC South chief to highlight the issues after receiving an invitation from his office.

The jirga members demanded immediate return of displaced residents of Upper South Waziristan to their homes, a complete halt to military operations in the region, an immediate end to mortar shelling in populated areas, an end to deforestation in the area along with the withdrawal of “baseless” FIRs against tribal leaders and the immediate release of detained individuals.

The jirga stressed the urgent need to protect the rights of the Mehsud tribe and to prioritise the resolution of their issues.

The members reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing a peaceful struggle to achieve their objectives.

DAWN NEWS

 

[BouncerGuy]

Kundi seeks Centre’s intervention for Kurram peace

Amid ongoing unrest in Kurram district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Saturday called for urgent intervention from the federal government and armed forces to restore stability attributing the area’s current turmoil to the ‘failure’ of the PTI-led government, which he said had contributed to the escalating crisis.

The governor also highlighted his “efforts” to foster consensus among political parties in the province, emphasising his role in working towards lasting peace. He revealed that he would soon lead a delegation of political leaders from his province to meet PM Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari to further these discussions.

“The situation still remains extremely critical and concerning,” Mr Kundi said when asked if there was any improvement in the Kurram situation following the recent deal between rival groups.

“There are bunkers and sophisticated weapons that our police are unable to manage or combat. The peace deal has not yielded significant results because those working to resolve the issues lack support from the government. Without that backing, peace cannot be achieved,” he said.

After months of violence that killed more than 130 people, a peace agreement was signed between the warring sides last week. But despite a lull in fighting, the route connecting Parachinar with the rest of the province remains blocked.

Asked about the way forward, given the failure of the accord to bring peace, Mr Kundi promptly shared his perspective. “I believe the only way forward is for the federal government and armed forces to intervene and bring peace,” he said.

The KP governor raised concerns over the PTI government’s handling of provincial resources, questioning its spending of substantial funds since 2013 while failing to strengthen the police force.

“The PTI government must explain how it spent the Rs500 billion it has received from the Centre for the war on terror since 2013,” he said. “This province is at the forefront of terrorism, yet it lacks a police force capable of combating it. Our police are under-equipped, with inadequate weapons, technology, and training. It’s a waste of public money, and the PTI government should be held accountable for this failure.”

He also suggested inclusion of leader of the opposition in the KP Assembly in the provincial apex committee, which formulates strategies against terrorism.

Governor Kundi also criticised CM Ali Amin Gandapur, noting that his role in cases related to terror, murder, and violence undermines his ability to address the KP’s deteriorating security situation.

“How can the CM, who is himself implicated in these cases, explain the worsening crisis due to the security administration? He is part of the problem,” he added.

DAWN NEWS

 

[BouncerGuy]

Demolition of bunkers kicks off in Kurram

Following a peace agreement between the warring sides in Kurram district, security forces and the district administration began demolishing bunkers in Lower Kurram using explosives, while the residents of Parachinar observed a shutter-down strike on Monday to protest the prolonged closure of roads.

Kurram Deputy Commissioner Ashfaq Khan said that efforts were underway to demolish all bunkers in the region, adding that according to the 14-point Kohat peace agreement, all bunkers in the district would be demolished by February 1.

In Lower Kurram, two bunkers have already been demolished — one each in Khar Kili and Balish Khel. Gunship helicopters continued to fly over the area as security forces and the district administration arrived in Lower Kurram early Monday morning to carry out the demolition operation.

Tribal leader Jalal Bangash emphasised the importance of all parties implementing the peace agreement, urging the government to prioritise the first point of the agreement and take necessary measures to open and secure routes.

Haji Saleem Khan, another tribal leader, said that sustainable peace is in the best interest of all parties, and that the public should cooperate with the elders and government to achieve this goal.

The people of Parachinar, the headquarters of Kurram district, have been stranded for the last three months due to roadblocks and are demanding the immediate reopening and securing of the routes. The shortage of essential supplies led the residents to carry out the shutter-down strike.

Leaders of the Kurram District Drug Association said medicine shops had run out of stock due to the roadblock. At a joint press conference in Parachinar, Pakistan Drug Association Parachinar president Haji Syed Hanif, chairman Moeen Hussain and Syed Iftikhar Hussain expressed concerns that the prolonged road closure had emptied their medical stores.

They said children and other patients had died due to a lack of treatment, with the death toll surpassing 300. They highlighted the distressing situation, explaining that patients were repeatedly turned away without treatment, leading them to shut down their medical stores.

Speaking at a joint press conference at the DHQ hospital in Parachinar, Young Doctors Association leaders Dr Zulfiqar Ali, Dr Sajjad, Dr Rafiq and others said that the lack of medicines and inability to transfer patients to Peshawar had caused immense suffering. Patients were dying in agony due to the closure of the routes, they said, adding that the situation was becoming increasingly unbearable.

MPA Ali Hadi Irfani called for the immediate opening of the routes, noting that thousands of people had been trapped in the area for over 100 days due to the blockade.

DAWN NEWS

 

[BouncerGuy]

PM promises peace as second aid convoy reaches Parachinar

A convoy of 25 trucks carrying essential supplies arrived in Parachinar on Tuesday, marking the second such delivery since the partial reopening of the Thall-Parachinar road last week.

The prolonged closure of the road after deadly clashes left residents struggling for basic necessities and facing severe hardships.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif informed federal cabinet members that the situation in Kurram had shown significant improvement, with some security pickets removed and the supply of essential items restored.

“All stakeholders will maintain peace,” he said, adding that such incidents would never happen again.

“Bunkers, which were once established, have been demolished,” he said, adding that food and other supplies were being delivered to the residents of the district.

Kurram Deputy Commissioner Ashfaq Ahmed told Dawn the authorities were taking steps to provide relief to the district.

“Twenty-five trucks have successfully reached Parachinar after departing from Thall in Hangu,” he said.

However, 20 other trucks could not depart due to pending clearance. He assured that efforts were underway to dispatch the remaining vehicles and to ensure the safety of the Thall-Parachinar road under a phased peace accord implementation.

Residents expressed frustration over the limited relief. Haji Abid, a resident, said the small convoy of 25 trucks was inadequate after weeks of delays.

“Thousands of people poured out of their homes to purchase supplies, but the prolonged waiting and insufficient trucks are causing more trouble,” he said.

Mr Abid said authorities should make proper arrangements to bring in edibles and medicines supplies, noting that around 200 vehicles were awaiting clearance to enter Parachinar, yet only 45 were approved, with 20 still held back.

Asadullah, a social activist, told Dawn that a large number of locals working abroad had missed flights and their visas had expired.

“Students have been unable to attend schools and colleges for three months. Even burials have been affected, with 50 deceased individuals interred in Hangu instead of their home villages due to road closures,” he said.

MNA Hamid Hussain also criticised the insufficient supply of 20 trucks for a population of tens of thousands. He urged authorities to expedite the clearance of the remaining vehicles.

“At least 100 trucks waiting for entry into Kurram in Thall must be allowed to proceed immediately,” he said.

Sajid Turi, a former federal minister from Kurram, called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the army chief to address the crisis, stressing that the prolonged closure of the Thall-Parachinar road had caused immense suffering for the public.

A local trader who had booked three trucks of edibles told Dawn that only one was allowed to travel while the other two remained stuck, awaiting clearance.

“The trucks have been waiting for entry for four days. Due to security threats, they cannot park at Thall and must return to safer areas,” he said, questioning the necessity of such stringent clearance processes for food supplies.

He lamented the rising transportation costs and conflicts with truck drivers.

“Fares have doubled due to delays and drivers are threatening to unload goods midway. No petrol or diesel supplies have entered the district in over 100 days,” he added.

Meanwhile, a sit-in protest continues in the Mandori area of Lower Kurram.

DAWN NEWS

 

[BouncerGuy]

Soldier martyred, four injured as aid convoy attacked in KP’s Kurram: official

One soldier was martyred while four others were injured when a convoy of vehicles carrying food and medical supplies to Parachinar was attacked at the Bagan area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lower Kurram on Thursday, according to officials.

Clashes stemming from decades-old land disputes claimed at least 130 lives since November, with food and medicine shortages reported due to weeks-long road blockades. A peace agreement was signed on January 1, but the route connecting Parachinar remained blocked. On January 4, a government convoy was attacked near Bagan, injuring Kurram’s deputy commissioner and leaving the convoy stranded.

Hangu Assistant Commissioner (AC) Saeed Mannan told Dawn.com today that a convoy comprising 35 vehicles had left from Thall and was on its way to Parachinar when it came under fire.

“The administration is working to bring the situation under control after the attack in Bagan,” AC Mannan said.

Meanwhile, Additional Deputy Commissioner Shaukat Ali said: “One soldier of the was martyred and four were injured in the attack. Three vehicles in the convoy were damaged.

“Action was also taken against the terrorists of the attack. Six terrorists were killed and 10 were injured in the retaliatory action.”

Sajid Turi, a former federal minister from Kurram, said small and large weapons were used in the attack.

Senior police official Sahaib Gul confirmed to AFP that following the attack, 21 trucks retreated from the area while others remained stranded.

Additionally, intense gunfire erupted at two other locations after the incident and it is still ongoing, Gul said, adding that some trucks had “caught fire” as a result of the ambush.

Kurram Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ashfaq Khan told AFP “firing is ongoing” outside Thall.

A day ago, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the situation in Kurram was “returning to normal” as 25 vehicles of a second convoy carrying essentials reached the district.

On Monday, Adviser to the KP Chief Minister on Information Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif said the demolition of bunkers had begun in Kurram district under the peace agreement.

DAWN NEWS

 

[FearlessRoar]

DC, citing ‘expected’ security operation in Lower Kurram, orders establishment of TDP camps

The Kurram deputy commissioner (DC) has ordered camps for temporarily displaced persons (TDP) to be established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lower Kurram tehsil, citing an “expected” counterterrorism operation, it emerged on Saturday.

The development comes as two aid convoys — heading to Parachinar which has been facing food and medicine shortages due to road blockades — were attacked this month after a peace deal was signed between warring tribes on January 1.

After a November 21 attack on a convoy in the Bagan area killed 50 people, ensuing clashes stemming from decades-old land disputes have claimed at least 130 more lives.

The order, dated January 17 and a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, was written by Kurram DC Ashfaq Khan to the relief secretary of KP’s Rehabilitation and Settlement Department.

Titled ‘Establishment of camp to TDPs of District Kurram’, the letter said: “It is stated that LEAs (law enforcement agencies) is planning to operation [sic] in various areas of Lower Kurram as per detail given below to counter terrorism.”

According to the listed details, 866 families and 9,685 “households” from Baggan; 466 families and 5,245 households from Mandori/Uchat/Charkhel; and 547 families and 2,494 households from Chapri Paraw and Chapri would be relocated.

More than 1,000 families would be relocated under the plan.

The letter proposed four sites in Thall for the TDP camps to “ensure safety and support of the affected population during the expected operation”, including Government Boys Degree College, stated as having 25 rooms and two halls.

Government Technical College, which had 15 rooms and a hall; an under-construction Rescue 1122 compound with 10 rooms and two halls; and an under-construction judicial building with 15 rooms and two halls were the other sites proposed.

“Furthermore, a committee at Chapri Lower Kurram under the supervision of additional deputy commissioner (R&HR) Kurram has already been notified […] for coordination purpose,” the DC letter added.

In Thursday’s attack on a convoy in Lower Kurram’s Bagan area, two security officials were martyred and five others injured. Retaliatory action by security forces left six attackers dead and 10 injured.

While police recovered the bodies of four drivers with their hands tied, five were still missing.

Sources said that out of 35 trucks in the convoy, only two made it back to Thall, while more than 10 trucks were looted and set ablaze.

On January 4, a government convoy was attacked near Bagan, injuring former DC Javedullah Mehsud and leaving the convoy stranded.

Protest in Lower Kurram

Meanwhile, protests in Bagan, which have been going on for three weeks, continued on Friday, with residents demanding the reconstruction of their town and compensation for losses incurred during an earlier attack.

Protesters have vowed not to allow convoys to proceed to Parachinar until their demands are met.

Local elder Haji Karim said that Bagan town, located about 60 kilometres from Parachinar, and its bazaar comprising over 500 shops and houses were destroyed in an attack following the Nov 21 ambush on a Parachinar-bound convoy.

He claimed that assurances of compensation were made during a meeting with the general officer commanding the other day, but they remained contingent on the successful passage of the third convoy to Parachinar, which was disrupted in Thursday’s attack.

DC, citing ‘expected’ security operation in Lower Kurram, orders establishment of TDP camps

More than 1,000 families will be relocated to 4 sites in Thall under the plan.

www.dawn.com

 

[FearlessRoar]

KP govt moot on Kurram says action against ‘miscreants’ unavoidable

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Sunday noted that action against “few miscreants” in the affected areas of violence-stricken Kurram District was now “unavoidable”.

After an attack on a convoy in Lower Kurram’s Bagan area killed over 40 people in November last year, ensuing clashes stemming from decades-old land disputes have claimed at least 130 more lives.

The volatile security situation led to the closure of a main road for weeks, resulting in a shortage of essential goods and medicines in Upper Kurram’s Parachinar. While a ceasefire deal was signed between warring tribes on January 1, attacks on a government convoy and an aid convoy this month put peace in peril.

In response, authorities have planned to launch a limited “counter-terrorism operation” in the Lower Kurram tehsil, with camps for temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) ordered to be set up as over 1,000 families would be displaced.

Today’s meeting, held by government and security officials to review the security situation in Kurram, decided to take “indiscriminate action against miscreants”.

“Action against a few miscreants in the affected areas has become unavoidable,” said a statement issued by KP government spokesperson Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif.

The meeting was attended by Saif, KP Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, and KP police chief Akhtar Hayat Khan, among other officials.

During the meeting, it was also decided that the peace agreement would be implemented “as per the law and Pashtun traditions”.

While the statement did not use the term “military operation”, it said: “Security forces would be present to support the police and the civil administration in action against the miscreants.

“The government apprehends that a few miscreants have infiltrated peaceful people,” it added, noting that those elements had “attempted to sabotage the peace deal”.

In an apparent reference to the establishment of TDP camps, the statement said action would be taken after “separating peaceful people from miscreants to save them from loss”.

It asserted that the “best alternate arrangements” had been made to relocate those who would be displaced in the affected areas. According to an earlier government order, over 1,000 families would be relocated from various Lower Kurram areas to four sites in Thall.

The government also sought help from “both parties to help the law enforcement agencies in identifying miscreants present among them”. Reaffirming that the state stood with the peaceful elements, the government vowed that the “oppressors” would be brought to justice.

The statement stressed that the KP government had been trying to restore peace in Kurram for the past three months, adding that the ceasefire deal was agreed upon as per Pashtun traditions.

It recalled the attacks on convoys this month, noting that “miscreants were targeting security forces personnel and aid convoys”.

“It is requested that the public fully cooperate with the security forces in the affected areas. The government would soon eliminate the miscreants and restore peace in the affected areas,” the statement said.

Separately, several members of a Kurram jirga, in a letter written to the top political leadership and the army chief, have called for action to be taken against militants preventing the implementation of a truce deal.

The jirga letter, dated January 18 (Saturday) and signed by seven members, was addressed to 14 individuals, including Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

Copies of it were also sent to Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, KP Law Minister Aftab Alam, the provincial chief secretary, Kurram DC Ashfaq Khan and the Kohat commissioner.

Peshawar-based XI Corps’ commander Maj Gen Omer Bukhari, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 9 Division Kohat Major General Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, commander of Parachinar’s 73 Brigade and the Kurram Militia commandant were the other recipients.

The letter was signed by jirga representatives ex-MNA Pir Haider Ali Shah, Haji Noorjaf, Laiq Orakzai, Wasi Syed Mian, Izzat Gul, Haji Faizullah and Syed Hussain Ali Shah Alhussaini.

The members highlighted that they had been involved in various jirga negotiations for the past 14-15 years but “matters have intensified between the parties in recent few months”.

Recalling that a 14-point ceasefire agreement was signed in January, they noted that former MNAs Sajid Hussain Turi, Jawad Hussain and Fakhar Zaman Bangash; MNA Hameed Hussain; MPAs Ali Hadi Irfani and Riaz Shaheen; and ex-senator Mian Sajjad Syed were among those who took part in the jirga talks.

“State institutions have totally failed in Kurram District,” the letter said, adding that the jirga members were of the view that neither its suggestions were being followed nor the written agreement of 2024 was being implemented.

It demanded that a joint investigation team (JIT) headed by a judge be formed “so that the terrorists are strictly punished, those supporting them could be exposed, the main Thall-Parachinar Road could be made safe for traffic of all kinds, and every possible action is taken to satisfy the people”.

It said the JIT was necessary “to compensate for the loss of life and property in repeated terrorist attacks on convoys, stop these terrorist activities, and eliminate elements openly supporting terrorists”.

Highlighting the weeks-long road blockade, the letter said various elderly and children had died due to the resulting medicine shortages, and visas of individuals visiting there from abroad had also expired.

Detailing the recent attacks on convoys, it claimed that the local station house officer was fired upon in Khar Kali while PTCL workers also came under attack in Bagan.

In Thursday’s attack on a convoy in the Bagan area, two security officials were martyred and five others injured. Retaliatory action by security forces left six attackers dead and 10 injured.

While police recovered the bodies of four drivers with their hands tied, five were still missing. Sources said that out of 35 trucks in the convoy, only two made it back to Thall, while more than 10 trucks were looted and set ablaze.

However, in the letter, the jirga members said that “between four to eight” drivers were killed while “some” drivers remained missing. “Dealers [of the supplies] suffered a loss of Rs2 billion,” it further claimed.

The jirga members claimed they were assured during a meeting on January 13 that 1,400 personnel — including from the police, Frontier Corps and the army — would be deployed from Chapri to Sadda in Lower Kurram.

The KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said that an aid convoy comprising 22 trucks had departed for the Hangu district, where essential items would be distributed among those displaced from their homes in the Kurram district.

According to a PDMA press release, the aid includes 500 family-sized tents, 1,000 foams, 1,000 blankets, 500 kitchen sets, 500 hygiene kits, 1,000 plastic mats, 500 solar lamps and 500 searching lights, as well as other essential items.

The statement said the trucks would reach the office of the Hangu deputy commissioner (DC) by the evening.

Haji Naik Mohammad Dawood, the KP CM’s aide on relief, said in a statement that aid was being provided to those affected in Kurram “in ample amounts according to their needs”, noting that 1,000 tents and other items had also been sent previously to Kurram.

Dawood further said that the entire staff of the PDMA was on red alert and an emergency cell was functioning 24 hours.

KP govt moot on Kurram says action against ‘miscreants’ unavoidable

Jirga members from Upper Kurram call for action against militants in letter to political leadership, army chief; PDMA says 22-truck aid convoy set to reach Hangu.

www.dawn.com

 

[hassan918]

Military operation being planned in Kurram, claims Fazl​

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, stated that both the establishment and Western powers have been actively working against religious seminaries since the creation of Pakistan.

He also claimed that preparations are underway for a military operation in Kurram, Express News reported.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony at Jamia Islamia Babuzi in Mardan, he said religious institutions have been under pressure since Pakistan’s creation.

The JUI-F leader was the chief guest at the event, which was also attended by party leaders, including Ata-ul-Haq Darwish, District Amir Maulana Amanat Shah Haqani, Dr. Syed Ahmad Binori, head of Jamia Binoria Karachi, and Mufti Hamad Yousafzai.

While addressing the ceremony, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that while he is not against new technology, it should always be used for the benefit of humanity. He added that Western culture continues to target religious parties.

He further remarked that since the creation of Pakistan, both the establishment and Western forces have been working against religious seminaries.

He also referred to General Musharraf, urging him to acknowledge that Pakistan had become a servant of the United States while the country's ancestors had fought for independence.

The JUI-F chief also spoke about the issue of seminaries' registration, asserting that they are not against modern education but that the division within the government had caused problems.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman emphasized that his party would continue to defend religious seminaries and assured that they were not against modern knowledge.

He also mentioned that as a political party, they support negotiations, provided they are conducted with sincerity.

The JUI-F leader concluded by stating that efforts are being made to pave the way for a military operation in Kurram. He also criticized the provincial government, claiming that there was no governance in the province, with corruption and commission mafias operating freely.

Source: The Express Tribune

 

[FearlessRoar]

Operation to rid Kurram of ‘spoilers’ launched

In order to rid restive Kurram of miscreants and secure the highway connecting the district with other parts of the country, a security operation has started in the Bagan area of the tribal district, officials said on Sunday.

“The forces have begun the operation to sanitise the area in and around Bagan by taking over check posts and destroying bunkers along the route,” sources privy to the details of the operation said.

They said security forces and paramilitary Frontier Corps were leading the operation, with the police closely following behind.

According to officials, the law enforcement agencies’ personnel were moving into the villages, but the miscreants had already fled and evacuations were already underway from the residential areas. “The plan is to secure the road in the next couple of days to allow the trucks to start moving (between Kurram and Peshawar),” they said.

The law enforcers had taken control of the bunkers on the mountains and a search operation was expected during the night, officials said, adding that security forces were deployed in lower Kurram and the operation would be carried out in four villages.

During a news conference held in Kurram on Sunday, Regional Police Officer Abbas Majeed Marwat said that the first convoy left successfully for Parachinar, followed by a second convoy. He said locals had committed that the third convoy should carry more supplies and they would support it, but the attack took place that resulted in several deaths.

“According to the agreement signed by both groups action will be taken against the spoilers placing hurdles … and security forces and police will jointly take action and are taking action,” RPO Marwat said, adding that social media was being monitored and action was being taken.

On Jan 17, the provincial government issued a notification for setting up camps in order to accommodate the temporarily displaced persons due to a possible offensive against miscreants in Kurram’s Bagan, Mandori, Charkhel, Chapri Paraw and Chapri areas.

“Action against few miscreants present in the affected areas has become inevitable. The state stands with peaceful citizens,” read a statement issued by Barrister Mohammad Saif, the KP government’s spokesperson.

The statement came after a high-level meeting held to take stock of the situation in the Kurram district. In the meeting, it was decided to take strict action against the miscreants without discrimination. Barrister Saif said that the provincial government had been trying to peacefully restore peace in the area for the last three months, but some miscreants had been conspiring to sabotage the accord.

Meanwhile, members of the grand jirga, which brokered a peace accord between the warring groups on December 31, demanded a joint investigation team (JIT) headed by a judge to investigate violation of the peace accord and action against those openly supporting the militants.

The members, in a letter addressing the president, the prime minister, the chief of army staff, the federal interior minister, and the KP chief minister and governor, read that they were of the opinion that what the jirga had said was not being acted upon neither were the state institutions acting upon the written agreement signed in 2024. The letter, issued on Saturday, read that the regional military leadership had assured a convoy would depart on January 16 and would be escorted by the police, the military and the FC in addition to the aerial support by five helicopters.

It read that people from all the villages and other militants started firing at the convoy with light and heavy weapons when it was passing through Bagan where trucks were looted and four drivers were killed, while some were still missing.

“Those deployed for security never resisted… Reports about the killing of five militants were aired on television which were wrong,” the jirga members claimed, adding that state institutions had completely failed in maintaining peace in the restive district.

Locals in Bagan are also holding a sit-in which has entered its fourth week. On January 17, a local elder from Bagan town, Haji Karim, said their demands were yet to be accepted.

“We have four demands. Operation against miscreants in the district, de-weaponisation, demolishing the bunkers and compensation for the over 500 shops and houses that were destroyed in an attack following the Nov 21 ambush on a Parachinar-bound convoy,” Mr Karim told Dawn.

The KP health department on Sunday issued a statement which read that emergency medicines were dispatched to Parachinar, adding that the medicines were being handed over to the medical superintendent in Parachinar to manage the emergency situation effectively.

The statement, quoting secretary health Adeel Shah, read that a total of 4,000 kilogrammes of medicines worth Rs5 million were transported through two flights of the KP’s government’s helicopter.

A passenger convoy which came under attack on November 21, 2024, in Bagan triggered armed clashes between two groups, leaving over 130 people, including women and children, dead. On November 22, the Bagan bazaar came under attack when over 500 shops besides several houses were burnt to the ground.

Although the main transportation route between Peshawar and Parachinar passing through Bagan has remained closed for over 100 days, life in Bagan, an area located on the main route some 60 kilometers north-west of the district headquarters Parachinar with around 24,000 registered voters, is also at a standstill.

After the months-long violence, a grand jirga announced a peace accord. However, the agreement faced a major blow when a convoy carrying aid supplies to Parachinar came under attack in Bagan on January 16, the same area where the November 21 attack had taken place. Before this, the convoy of the ex-deputy commissioner was attacked only a few days after the agreement.

Operation to rid Kurram of ‘spoilers’ launched

Law enforcers take over bunkers, check posts amid plan to secure Parachinar route; sit-in in Bagan demanding operation, compensation enters 4th week.

www.dawn.com

 

[FearlessRoar]

Fazl opposes use of force to solve Kurram dispute

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has demanded a solution to the dispute between warring groups in Kurram through the jirga system (a traditional dispute resolution mechanism used in tribal communities), saying that the use of force or imposition of a one-sided decision could further deteriorate the fragile situation in the volatile tribal district.

“Disputed issues have been resolved neither by force nor by one sided decisions. We believe in jirga system. That is why the issue of Kurram should be resolved through a jirga comprising credible and reliable personalities. We prefer jirga in case of resolving issues and disputes as it has the ability to solve problems and issues in a better way,” said the JUI-F chief while talking to media persons here in Mardan on Sunday.

The Maulana expressed these views in reference to the government decision about limited ‘counterterrorism operation’ in some villages of Lower Kurram, after attending a religious programme at Jamia Islamia Babuzai in Katlang tehsil of Mardan district.

“Similarly, the elders of both rival groups have to be taken into confidence in this connection if the government is serious in bringing a durable peace and stability in the volatile region,” he remarked.

The JUI-F chief has asked the federal government to include political figures in talks process of Kurram issue.

In reply to a question, he said he apparently did not see any improvement in talks going on between the incumbent federal government and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

The JUI-F chief said: “I pray for success of talks between the government and PTI, but apparently I am not seeing any improvement or breakthrough in the dialogue.”

To another query, he said that every leader of PTI had his own separate statement that was why he did not respond to questions regarding those statements. However, he said he would comment on party’s statements whenever it was needed.

The JUI-F chief lamented that there was no government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa because the provincial rulers had lost their writ in many areas of the province.

He alleged that the incumbent provincial rulers had not been elected rather they were given power in KP by some powerful forces. The corruption had broken all its records in history of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa because the province had been handed over to ineligible, unable and immature people, he added.

However, as a political leader he believed in talks, adding that their doors were open for all political parties, including PTI, he said. He added that he and his party had held talks with PTI leadership in the past on the issues of mutual interests and similar talks could be held in future as well.

Fazl opposes use of force to solve Kurram dispute

JUI-F chief suggests the issue can be resolved through jirga.

www.dawn.com

 

[hassan918]

LEAs launch operation to wipe out miscreants in Kurram​

PESHAWAR: After getting the go-ahead from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government for stringent action against miscreants following multiple attacks on aid convoys, law enforcement agencies along with the civil administration launched a clearance operation in affected parts of Kurram district.

The district administration confirmed that action against miscreants in the areas of Lower Kurram have entered the second day amid the imposition of curfew.

Contingents of security forces and the police were already deployed in the affected areas which saw deadly clashes before the peace agreement signed between the warring tribes earlier this month.

It added that 20 families have vacated their houses in the affected parts, whereas, some families were shifted to their relatives' houses and Hangu.

Kohat commissioner clarified that the activities under the Kurram operation were not against locals but miscreants.

His statement came after repeated attacks on aid convoys and vehicles in the Bagan area and its surroundings, including a targeted attack on Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud despite a peace agreement reached on January 1.

Personnel from the KP police, district administration, and other law enforcement agencies were taking part in the clearance operation in Bagan and its suburban parts after shifting residents to safe localities, sources closer to the provincial government told Geo News.

Prior to this development, the district administration had established camps for temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) in four village councils of the lower part of the Kurram tribal district.

It was learnt that these camps were established in Hangu where affectees of the operation will be given temporary residence till completion of the clearance operation.

The sources added that the local administration made arrangements for the residence of 1,500 to 3,000 families in the camps.

Under the peace agreement, eight bunkers were demolished with the approval of the warring parties in Bagan, the sources said.

After the security situation improves, another aid convoy carrying food, medicines, and other essential items is expected to depart for Kurram district in three days.

Kurram has been wracked by violence for decades, but around 150 people have been killed in a fresh round of fighting which started in November last year when two separate convoys travelling under police escort were ambushed, leaving 40 people dead.

Last week, terrorists ambushed a convoy of 35 vehicles set to resupply local traders in the restive territory with rice, flour, cooking oil and essential medicine, which claimed the lives of at least 8 people, including security personnel, drivers and civilians. Retaliatory action by security forces resulted in the killing of six assailants.

"Peace agreement is being implemented," members of the grand jirga, including Pir Haider, Laiq Orakzai, Wasi Syed Mian and Haji Noorjaf were quoted by The News as saying on Sunday.

They detailed that bunkers belonging to both tribes had been destroyed, and the agreement was being followed. However, they said that in the last 10 days, several violations of the agreement had occurred.

They warned that if the government did not take action against these violations, future jirgas and agreements would lose their significance.

Source: The News International

 

[hassan918]

Over 100 villages in Kurram remain under siege for over three months​

More than 100 villages in Upper and Lower Kurram, including the district headquarters of Parachinar, have been under siege for over three and a half months.

The region has been facing severe tension, particularly after an attack on a convoy traveling from Peshawar to Parachinar on November 21, 2024 which resulted in the deaths of 50 people, including women and children.

Despite peace agreements, the central highway to Parachinar remains closed, preventing the delivery of essential supplies such as food.

Local elders attribute the ongoing insecurity to the long and porous border with Afghanistan, which has become a hotspot for instability. Some believe that resolving the issue requires both sides to move past previous mistakes and embrace reconciliation.

In Lower Kurram, security forces and police units are conducting operations against militants, with a curfew currently in place.

According to officials, 20 families have already evacuated their homes in the affected areas of Lower Kurram. Some of these displaced families have sought refuge with relatives, while others have relocated to Hangu.

The situation in Kurram remains dire, with residents facing severe shortages of basic necessities and ongoing security challenges.

The continued blockade and violence have left the community in a state of distress, calling for urgent attention and resolution.

Meanwhile, a clearance operation launched by the law enforcement agencies along with the civil administration to rid Kurram district of miscreants continued for the third day in Bagan and its adjacent areas.

The operation was launched after the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government greenlighted "indiscriminate and stringent action" against those involved in attacks on relief convoys and deputy commissioner.

Personnel from the KP police, district administration, and other law enforcement agencies were taking part in the clearance operation in Bagan and its suburban parts after shifting residents to safe localities, sources closer to the provincial government told Geo News.

Prior to this development, the district administration had established camps for temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) in four village councils of the lower part of the Kurram tribal district.

A convoy of relief goods is likely to be dispatched for the district in the next couple of days.

On the other hand, affectees whose shops and houses burnt were in the riots following the attack on a convoy in Bagan on November 21, 2024, are awaiting compensation for the damages. At least 400 shops and hundreds of houses were gutted in the incident.

Moreover, a sit-in continues on the Talpara-Chinar Highway in Manduri for approval of their demands and financial assistance.

Despite a peace deal reached between the warring tribes under the negotiations facilitated by the Grand Jirga, the Kurram Peace Committee, and local peace groups, the situation remains precarious in the district.

Source: GEO

 

[hassan918]

KP govt vows ‘indiscriminate action’ as bunker demolition in Kurram resumes​

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government vowed on Wednesday to take “indiscriminate action” against any and all perpetrators of violence in the restive Kurram district, adding that the demolition of illegal bunkers resumed today.

After an attack on a convoy in Lower Kurram’s Bagan area killed over 40 people in November, ensuing clashes stemming from decades-old land disputes claimed at least 130 more lives.

The volatile security situation led to the closure of a main road for weeks, resulting in a shortage of essential goods and medicines in Upper Kurram’s Parachinar. While a ceasefire deal was signed between warring tribes on January 1, attacks on a government convoy and an aid convoy this month put peace in peril.

In response, authorities launched a limited “counter-terrorism operation” in the Lower Kurram tehsil, with camps for temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) ordered to be set up as over 1,000 families would be displaced.

A statement issued today from the KP Chief Minister’s Office said the provincial chief chaired a meeting today on the latest developments in the restive district. Others in attendance included the KP chief secretary, police chief, additional chief secretary (home) and more.

It said the meeting’s participants decided to take “indiscriminate action against terrorists and militants from both sides” in the district, adding that the arrests of those nominated in first information reports would be ensured and the demolition of illegal bunkers would resume from today.

The statement said that all elements disrupting peace in the area and their facilitators would be arrested with further legal action taken against them.

It added that the police and civil administration would be given the lead role in the entire process while other law enforcement agencies would provide support.

“Special forces will be deployed for the security of Kurram Road. The police will finalise the action plan for temporary and permanent recruitment in this regard.

“Immediate steps will be taken for the restoration and beautification of the affected Bagan Bazaar. The monitoring committee established at the provincial level under the leadership of Barrister Saif will be made more active,” the statement said.

Additionally, the meeting’s participants decided to convene a jirga of the Kurram peace agreement’s signatories in which their responsibilities regarding the deal’s implementation should be highlighted.

They also agreed that village-level committees in the district should be activated.

The statement further said the meeting’s members decided that the two parties in the ongoing tensions would formulate a procedure for the district’s demilitarisation of Kurram and submit it to the government as soon as possible.

“Payment of compensation to the victims of Bagan will be conditional on their cooperation with the government and administration,” it added.

“The political leadership and elected public representatives will have to come forward openly in the process of restoring peace in Kurram. Regular visits will be made to monitor the demolition of bunkers in the area and arrangements for TDPs.

“Additional police personnel will be deployed in the area. A uniform narrative will be given to the media on the Kurram issue,” the statement said, adding that a timely response would be given to negative propaganda on the situation.

Regarding supplies to the area, it said four convoys of vehicles carrying essential items would be sent to the district by the month’s end.

Source: DAWN

 

[BouncerGuy]

Relief convoy reaches Kurram amid heavy security

A convoy of 61 vehicles carrying relief supplies reached Kurram on Wednesday under tight security, officials confirmed.

The convoy, loaded with flour, medicines and vegetables, was escorted by police, district administration and security forces. It arrived in the Alizai area of the restive Kurram district via Bagan, the site of a deadly attack on a similar convoy on Jan 16, which claimed the lives of two security personnel and eight truck drivers.

“The convoy left for Parachinar at 1pm. Anyone responsible for any untoward incident will be dealt with,” a source said.

Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government announced plans to convene a jirga comprising signatories of the Dec 31, 2024, peace accord between warring factions in Kurram. The purpose is to remind them of their obligations to maintain law and order in the district.

A meeting chaired by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur was attended by the provincial police chief, additional chief secretary (home) and other officials. According to an official statement, it was decided that the demolition of bunkers in the district would resume immediately, with regular monitoring of the process. Arrangements for temporarily displaced persons would also be prioritised.

It was stressed during the meeting that the political leadership and public representatives must take visible steps to restore peace. It also underscored a commitment to act against militants and extremists on both sides without discrimination.

The meeting resolved that both factions must submit a procedure for de-weaponising the district to the government as soon as possible. The district administration and police will lead efforts to arrest suspects named in FIRs, with support from other law enforcement agencies.

The government also decided to arrest elements disrupting peace and their facilitators, ensuring legal action against them. Special contingents may be deployed to secure the Kurram Road, and the police will finalise plans for temporary and permanent recruitment to maintain security.

“Steps will be taken immediately for the restoration and beautification of Bagan Bazaar,” the statement noted, adding that a uniform narrative on the Kurram situation would be presented to the media and negative propaganda would be countered effectively.

Military operation ends

A military-led operation against miscreants in the Ochat, Charkhel, Dadkamar and Zarana areas of Kurram concluded on Wednesday after four days.

The district administration claimed to have confiscated a huge cache of arms and destroyed eight bunkers. Officials warned of strict action in case of any violations of the peace agreement.

The Thall-Parachinar Road has remained closed since Nov 21 following a deadly reprisal attack on a convoy of 200 passenger vehicles travelling from Parachinar to Peshawar. The attack in Bagan claimed over 130 lives and sparked armed clashes between two groups.

Within 36 hours, Bagan Bazaar came under attack, resulting in over 500 shops and 600 houses being burned. The road’s closure has caused severe shortages of food and medicine in Kurram.

A truce brokered by a KP government committee on Nov 23 was extended for seven days. A grand jirga later negotiated a fragile peace deal on Dec 31.

However, the agreement suffered a major blow when a relief convoy was attacked on Jan 16, killing truck drivers and security personnel. This led to a military operation in Bagan on Jan 19.

DAWN NEWS

 

[FearlessRoar]

Parachinar faces severe price surge for daily commodities amid blocked roads​

Kurram’s Parachinar is experiencing severe price increases for daily commodities as all major roads to the district remain blocked.

The ongoing crisis has led to significant shortages of essential food items, pushing prices to record levels.

Peas sell for Rs600 per kg, onions for Rs500 per kg, and tomatoes for Rs400 per kg.

The Thall-Parachinar highway, the Afghan border, and other key routes are closed for the past four months, which has intensified the situation.

Over 61 trucks carrying essential goods, including vegetables, fruits, flour, sugar, and cooking oil, were recently dispatched to Parachinar.

But local trade union president Haji Imdad stated that the supply was “inadequate” to meet the population’s growing needs and called for a continuous supply of goods to stabilise the market.

Residents have urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to take “immediate action” to reopen the blocked routes and stabilise prices, as the situation was unsustainable for the majority of the population.

Vehicles were loaded with relief items traveling towards Parachinar came under attack on Thursday when unidentified men opened fire at them on January 16.

The area and over a hundred surrounding villages are facing a severe humanitarian crisis as road blockages have halted all supplies. Approximately 500,000 residents are trapped in the area, leading to increasing reports of starvation on January 15.

Parachinar faces severe price surge for daily commodities amid blocked roads

Ongoing crisis has led to significant shortages of essential food items

english.aaj.tv

 

[BouncerGuy]

KP asks Centre to make ex-Fata funding part of its divisible pool share

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has informed the federal government that it wouldn’t accept any extension of the seventh National Finance Commission Award without making the funding for merged tribal districts part of the province’s share in the federal divisible pool.

In a letter, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has requested federal finance minister Mohammad Aurangzeb to ensure that any future iteration of NFC arrangements should duly reflect the post-merger province and include its complete geography and population.

“Any further extension of the seventh NFC Award without addressing this essential issue will not be acceptable and will constitute a continued violation of our constitutional rights,” he noted.

Mr Gandapur added that it was crucial to emphasise revision of the NFC Award was not merely a matter of choice but a constitutional obligation.

“The merger of Fata with KP in 2018 fundamentally redefined the province’s geography and demographic composition, but the seventh NFC Award continues to disregard this constitutional transformation. This omission undermines the constitutional framework and principles of federalism, depriving 6.4 million residents of merged districts of their rightful share in national resources,” he said.

The chief minister said that the presidential orders for extending the seventh NFC Award were inconsistent with the Constitution, as they failed to recognise KP in its current post merger form.

“Such extensions are not only discriminatory but also ultra vires of the Constitution, undermining the principles of equity and fairness,” he noted.

Mr Gandapur insisted said that from 2019 to 2024, the federal government had paid the KP government its share in NFC Award at a rate of 14.62pc, amounting to Rs3.046 trillion.

He, however, said that based on the revised NFC share of 19.64pc, the province’s share amounted to Rs4.092 trillion, resulting in a shortfall of Rs1.046 trillion.

“After accounting for the federal grants of Rs437 billion provided for the merged tribal districts during this period, the net shortfall exceeded Rs609 billion over the last six years,” he said.

In another letter to Mr Aurangzeb regarding bridging financial needs of merged tribal districts, Mr Gandapur highlighted the critical financial challenges faced by the provincial government in delivering essential services to tribal districts, which, he said, have accommodate an additional 6.4 million people.

He said Fata’s merger with KP was a transformative step towards national integration, introducing substantial administrative and legal reforms.

“These reforms extended critical services including policing, judiciary, education, health and local government, to historically marginalised regions. However, the financial burden of implementing and sustaining these changes has placed immense strain on KP resources, threatening the fulfillment of merger commitments,” he said.

The chief minister pointed out that towards the cumulative shortfall of Rs568 billion under the Accelerated Implementation Programme against the federal commitment of annual Rs100 billion over 10 years as part of the Tribal Decade Strategy to bridge development disparities in the merged tribal districts.

He said that since 2019, the KP government had spent Rs372 billion on operational expenditures in the region, while the federal government had released Rs331 billion, leaving a deficit of Rs41.4 billion.

“These financial shortfalls severely limit the province’s ability to sustain critical service delivery and fulfill its obligations to the people of the merged areas. Addressing these gaps is essential to consolidating the gains of the merger and ensuring socio-economic progress in the region,” it noted.

DAWN NEWS

 

[BouncerGuy]

‘Kurram peace accord to be fully enforced’: KP chief secretary

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry on Saturday announced that the government would implement the 14-point Kurram peace agreement in letter and spirit, with no concession granted to anyone.

“We need everyone’s cooperation for the peace accord’s enforcement,” Mr Chaudhry told a joint sitting of jirga and peace committee members and elders from Kurram tribal district at Commissioner’s House here on Saturday.

On the occasion, Kohat Commissioner Syed Motasim Billah Shah highlighted the measures taken for the restoration of peace in Kurram.

The chief secretary ordered the demolition of bunkers in the district.

He said a group from Kurram had submitted its weapon collection plan to authorities, so the other should follow suit without delay.

Mr Chaudhry said the government was ready to go to any extent for maintaining law and order in Kurram and therefore, the residents should identify the “cruel and evil” people, for their elimination instead of helping them.

He promised complete compensation for all damaged properties in Kurram and said a survey for damage assessment had already been completed.

The chief secretary said in the first phase, authorities had started restoring schools, mosques, offices and banks in Baggan, while repair and reconstruction of houses and markets would get under way soon.

“We are not separate from each other. We are with you, and you are with us, so we have to work together for lasting peace in Kurram,” he told residents.

Mr Chaudhry said Kurram residents were treated “inhumanely,” so those responsible for it should seek forgiveness to move forward.

He declared the jirga a “silent soldier” and appreciated its efforts and support for the restoration of peace in Kurram.

General Officer Commanding of the 9th Division Major General Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti and Kohat commissioner Syed Motasim Billah Shah, former parliamentarians, jirga members and elders also spoke on the occasion.

The other participants included provincial police chief Akhtar Hayat Khan, Kohat DIG Abbas Majeed Marwat, Kurram deputy commissioner Mohammad Ashfaq, Kohat deputy commissioner Abdul Akram, and other relevant officers.

DAWN NEWS

 

[BouncerGuy]

Six more bunkers destroyed in lower Kurram under peace agreement

As part of the recent peace agreement, six more bunkers were destroyed in lower Kurram, while a convoy of 12 vehicles carrying essential food items and medicines reached the Bagan area of the tribal district on Wednesday.

According to administration officials, three bunkers each in Khar Kallay and Balishkhel were blown up with explosives on Wednesday, taking the number of such structures to 16 since the signing of a peace agreement between two warring groups early this month.

They said tangible steps were being taken for the enforcement of the 14- point accord.

Meanwhile, a relief convoy consisting of 12 vehicles with food items and medicines reached Bagan from the Tal area in Hangu district in the day.

Mufti Shah Nawaz and other local elders thanked Governor Faisal Karim Kundi for facilitating the delivery of relief supplies to Bagan.

He said the governor had contacted the UN agencies to secure aid for the people of Kurram.

“We are thankful to Unicef and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and look forward to further assistance in the near future,” he said.

Students from Parachinar and adjoining areas demanded immediate opening of roads, complaining route blockades are causing learning losses.

They warned if they were not transported to Peshawar in a timely manner, they would stage a protest sit-in.

Murtaza Hussain, from Upper Kurram, said he had got admission to a US university but he feared he would miss a visa interview at the US Embassy in Islamabad due to the closure of roads.

Musadiq Hussain, from Orakzai tribal district, said he worked as an engineer in Parachinar and had secured admission in Russia but got stuck in Kurram due to road closures.

“I can’t make it to Peshawar, so my future is at stake,” he said, demanding his and other stranded people’s transportation to the provincial capital in a convoy of vehicles or helicopters.

ROADS CLOSED: Despite peace agreement, the main transportation routes in Kurram district have been closed for four months, paralysing life for the local population.

Students, patients, businessmen and those working abroad are the worst affected.

Furthermore, there are complaints about a rise in deaths among patients, including children, due to a lack of medical supplies in the local hospitals.

People in Parachinar told Dawn that they had long been awaiting relief supplies and medicines, whose unavailability was causing malnutrition and deaths among children.

Social worker Mir Afzal Khan claimed that Parachinar Hospital and health centres in adjoining areas had reported death of around 450 patients, including 215 children, due to lack of medicines and services.

He said road closures had blocked the delivery of relief goods and assistance sent by the United Nations for over500,000 population of Parachinar and residents of more than 100 surrounding villages.

The social worker alleged that the aid was distributed to those who had besieged the population.

He said food and other essential goods brought in by traders were sold at double the routine price, to the misery of poor residents.

Trade union president Haji Imdad said trucks with food supplies had been awaiting permission in Tal for weeks to enter Parachinar, forcing traders to pay high rents and causing goods to decay in vehicles.

The district administration claimed that it had taken special measures to open roads and demolish bunkers as part of the peace agreement, while every possible effort was being made to provide relief to the affected families.

DAWN NEWS

 

[FearlessRoar]

Assistant commissioner injured in firing in Upper Kurram: hospital official

Kurram Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) Saeed Manan Khan was injured in a firing incident in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Upper Kurram tehsil on Friday, a hospital official said.

According to Dr Mir Hassan Jan, medical superintendent at the Parachinar District Headquarters Hospital, the firing incident occurred in the Boshehra area of Upper Kurram.

Dr Jan said that the Kurram AC was visiting the Boshehra area for peace efforts and was accompanied by police.

After an attack on a convoy in Lower Kurram’s Bagan area killed over 40 people in November, ensuing clashes stemming from decades-old land disputes claimed at least 130 more lives.

The volatile security situation led to the closure of a main road for weeks, resulting in a shortage of essential goods and medicines in Upper Kurram’s Parachinar. While a ceasefire deal was signed between warring tribes on January 1, attacks on a government convoy and an aid convoy this month put peace in peril.

In response, authorities launched a limited “counter-terrorism operation” in the Lower Kurram tehsil, with camps for temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) ordered to be set up as over 1,000 families would be displaced.

Firing injures assistant commissioner in Upper Kurram: hospital official

Hospital official says AC (revenue) Manan was accompanied by police during his visit for peace efforts.

www.dawn.com

 

[BouncerGuy]

Funeral prayers held for policeman slain in fresh Upper Kurram firing

Funeral prayers were held on Saturday morning for a policeman martyred in a firing incident a day earlier in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Upper Kurram tehsil.

The policeman, Syed Ashiq Hussain, embraced martyrdom after he was shot at by a sniper while posted on security duty last evening, according to Superintendent of Police (SP) Operation Muhammad Abbas.

His funeral was held with official honours at the office of the Parachinar District Police Officer, after which he was buried in his native area of Noorki in Kurram district.

In attendance were SP Abbas, SP Investigation Mazhar Jahan, military leadership, and police personnel, who laid a wreath on the coffin which was draped in the national flag. They paid tribute to Hussain’s services.

Two of Hussain’s brothers were also martyred in previous terrorism incidents.

Kurram has been beset by intermittent flare-ups of violence between tribes that have been feuding for decades over lands. Most recently, at least 130 lives were lost in attacks and ensuing clashes since November, before a hard-won ceasefire agreement was brokered on January 1. However, attacks on government and aid convoys this month have put the fragile peace in peril.

The ceasefire suffered another major setback when Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) Saeed Manan, who was mediating to halt fresh clashes between the warring sides, was shot in the stomach and injured along with two others in a separate firing incident in the Bushehra area of the restive district yesterday.

Manan underwent surgery at DHQ hospital and was later transferred to Peshawar via helicopter.

On Jan 4, an attack in the Bagan area injured Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud and six others. In a Jan 16 attack on a convoy in the same area, two security officials were martyred and five others injured. Retaliatory action by security forces left six attackers dead and 10 injured.

In response, authorities launched a limited “counter-terrorism operation” in Lower Kurram on Jan 19, which used gunship helicopters and concluded after four days.

DAWN NEWS

 

[FearlessRoar]

Jirga convened on Thursday to restore peace in Kurram​

A jirga comprising representatives from both factions is scheduled to be held in Kohat on Thursday to discuss the restoration of peace in Kurram district.

Speaking to Dunya News, jirga member Irshad Hussain Bangash confirmed that the meeting will focus on measures to ensure sustainable peace in the region. He emphasized that both parties are committed to reopening the Thall-Parachinar Road for regular transportation at the earliest.

Another jirga member, Fakhar Zaman, stated that Thursday’s session will review progress on the implementation of the peace agreement. "Efforts are underway to facilitate the reopening of the Thall-Parachinar Road," he added.

https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/866559-jirga-convened-on-thursday-to-restore-peace-in-kurram-

 

[BouncerGuy]

KP plans fresh op after Kurram convoy attacks

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government announced a fresh operation against militants in Kurram, after five security officials were martyred in multiple attacks on Monday.

The fresh spate of violence threatens the precarious peace prevailing in the region, since a ceasefire agreement was reached following months of conflict, that claimed around 130 lives.

The Thall-Parachinar road, the only land route connecting Upper Kurram with other parts of the country, remains closed for traffic due to these persistent attacks.

Since a ceasefire agreement was reached between warring factions in Kurram earlier this year, aid was being supplied to the region through convoys, escorted by heavy security.

Sources said that on Monday, an aid convoy comprising several trucks bound for Parachinar entered Lower Kurram through the Chapri Gate at noon.

The convoy, escorted by police and other security agencies, was moving on the Thall-Parachinar road when assailants opened fire at Ochat Kalay, near Mandori in Lower Kurram, around 12:30pm.

Security personnel escorting the convoy retaliated, and two army gunship helicopters shelled areas around the attack site, sources added.

Intermittent firing continued for over two hours. An army soldier was martyred in the attack, while seven, including a policeman, two truck drivers and four civilians, were injured.

A second attack took place at the same location around 6pm, when forces tried to stop militants from looting stranded aid trucks, according to sources.

Assailants opened fire on the vehicle of a Frontier Corps officer, leaving five personnel injured. However, an officer remained unhurt in the attack.

Then, around 8:30pm, a convoy of the FC’s Quick Response Force — which had arrived to recuse the injured soldiers — was ambushed near the Government High School in Ochat Kalay.

Four FC personnel embraced martyrdom in this exchange, while three vehicles were damaged. However, there was no clarity on how many militants were killed or injured in the action.

‘Attack by locals’

A truck driver, Gul Faraz, who was caught up in the attack, claimed that announcements were made over loudspeakers from mosques to attack the vehicles.

Another driver, Akram Khan, said the convoy was attacked by locals.

Several drivers are also missing since the attack, he added.

Last month, an operation was launched in different parts of central Kurram, including Mandori, Ochat, Charkhel, Chapri and Paraw to clear the areas of militants.

Security forces also used helicopters for strikes at possible militants’ hideouts during the days-long operation.

The provincial government believes that some militants could still be present in the area, sources added.

“Militants, present in Upper and Lower Kurram, plan to benefit from the situation,” sources told Dawn.

They added that an alleged militant commander, identified as Kazim and a resident of Lower Kurram, “wants to sabotage the peace accord at all cost”.

New operation

In view of the situation, the KP government decided to launch another operation in the Mandori and Ochat areas to “clear them of miscreants,” the provincial government’s spokesperson, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said after the attack.

The decision to launch the action was taken in a late-night meeting chaired by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

The meeting was also attended by the chief secretary, additional chief secretary (Home) and provincial police chief.

Mr Saif said locals would be relocated before the operation.

“The peace committees have failed to stop miscreants,” he said, adding that tribal elders should have handed over miscreants to the government.

The political leadership and public representatives must openly come out for peace in the area, he said, adding that any propaganda about Kurram would be “timely and effectively responded”.

Roadside explosions

Separately, three people, including two security officials, lost their lives in two roadside explosions in Dera Ismail Khan and Bajaur.

Although there was no official word from ISPR, security sources said an improvised explosive device (IED) was planted along a road in Kulachi that went off as a convoy of security forces approached the area.

According to sources, the IED was remotely detonated, and the security forces’ vehicles caught in the blast were completely destroyed.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but security forces started a search operation in the area to trace the attackers.

Meanwhile in Bajaur, a man was killed in an IED blast in the hilly area of Barang tehsil.

Officials and locals said that the victim was passing through the area when he was caught up in the attack.

He was shifted to the nearby Memola hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. He was identified as Walayat Khan, 57.

DAWN NEWS

 

[mazkhan]

A truck driver, Gul Faraz, who was caught up in the attack, claimed that announcements were made over loudspeakers from mosques to attack the vehicles.

Another driver, Akram Khan, said the convoy was attacked by locals.

Several drivers are also missing since the attack, he added.



Locals Locals Locals

Local ethnofascists
Local ik worshippers
Locals providing the boys for molestation and suicide attacks
Locals providing the Young men into taliban ranks.

And it's come straight from horse mouth a pashtun driver gul faraz .

And people here are blaming pakistan army shahbaz sharif and khwaja asif .

 

[hassan918]

Kurram warring tribes reach 8-month peace agreement​

PARACHINAR: Amid the government’s efforts to ease tensions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram District, an eight-month peace agreement was reached between two warring tribes of the region on Saturday.

Jirga member Haji Kamal confirmed the development, saying that the agreement was finalised in the presence of Kurram Deputy Commissioner Ashfaq Ahmed along with other officials.

Sources told Geo News that elders from both sides, district administration officials, and other key stakeholders participated in the negotiations to reach the settlement.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Ashfaq Ahmed said the truce has brought double joy for the residents ahead of Eid ul Fitr.

Meanwhile, jirga member Haji Asghar said that a plan is being formulated to reopen the roads, which have remained blocked due to ongoing tensions.

Kurram, a district of more than 600,000 residents near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan, has long been a hotspot for sectarian violence. But recent months have seen escalating tensions, with clashes since July to date leaving over 200 people dead.

The recent clashes exacerbated a humanitarian crisis in the district, with medicine and oxygen supplies running critically low due to the prolonged closure of the main highway linking Parachinar to Peshawar.

Reports suggest that over 100 children may have died from a severe shortage of medicine, though Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesperson Barrister Saif has denied these claims.

A grand peace jirga was convened at Kohat Fort to mediate talks between the warring tribes of the violence-hit district. After days-long negotiations, the two warring tribes in January 2025 signed a peace agreement containing 14 points aimed at establishing peace in the area.

However, the hard-won agreement suffered a major setback when Assistant Commissioner Saeed Manan, who was mediating to halt fresh clashes between warring sides in Kurram, was injured along with two others in a firing incident in February.

After sustained effort by law enforcers, peace was restored, and essential supplies also started coming into Kurram, which was cut off from the rest of the country for months.

As part of the peace efforts, a number of bunkers were demolished in the upper and lower parts of Kurram last month. The process of dismantling tribal bunkers began after the peace agreement.

Separately, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) announced head money —from Rs3m to Rs30m — on 14 terrorists involved in the recent violence in the Kurram district.

In a statement, the CTD claimed the accused were involved in the assassination of over 200 people, adding that all the terrorists were associated with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Source: GEO

 

[hassan918]

District admin demolishes bunkers in Kurram as part of peace plan​

PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – In an effort to bring peace in the restive Kurram Agency, the district administration has successfully demolished the bunkers in the second phase of cleansing, giving hope to residents who saw the district tangled up in violence for months during the last year.

According to reports, the district administration would now start collecting weapons from the warring parties.

The groups which were at loggerheads with each other have agreed to surrender their weapons, helping foster inclusive environment in the district.

Source: Dunya News