Unhindered access: Political admin lifts curfew in Bara, opens major arteries

Area had been under partial blackout for four years due to military operations.

BARA: After almost four years, Bara-Sheikhan Road was reopened by the political administration of Khyber Agency which also lifted curfew from certain areas of Bara tehsil.

An official of the Khyber Agency political administration from Bara said the decision was taken late on Tuesday night.



The official said in September 2009, an indefinite curfew was imposed in most areas of Bara after which security forces launched an operation against militants. He added the curfew remained imposed as militancy-related incidents continued in the area while most residents were displaced from their homes after businesses closed down and tribesmen shifted to the Jalozai Camp.

The official said on August 2 this year, Khyber Agency Political Agent Mutahir Zaib Khan, after meeting tribal elders, partially reopened Al-Haaj, Alam Gudar, Dora, Daroro Adda, Frontier, Bara, Old Jamrud and Dogra roads but they would be closed down at random time periods. On Tuesday evening, the political administration decided to open the roads from 7:00am to 5:00pm on a daily basis.



The official said curfew has been completely lifted from Bara-Sheikhan Road while Bara-Dogra Road, which previously remained open for traffic from 7:00am to 11:00am and 3:00pm to 7:00pm, would now remain open throughout the day.

The decision was hailed by tribal elders and internally displaced people who demanded government assistance for rehabilitating them from the camps back to their homes.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2013.