Kurram warring clans announce ceasefire

Six days of fighting leaves 13 dead, 105 injured

KURRAM:

A Jirga of local elders finally managed to bring the warring clans to negotiation table in Kurram tribal district of KhyberPakhtunkhwa (K-P) after six days of intense skirmishes as a ceasefire for one year was announced on Thursday including Rs120 million fine for violators. So far 13 people have been killed and 105 people have sustained injuries in the conflict.

The dispute over the ownership of a piece of shamilat land predates partition but in the past political agents enjoyed policing as well as judicial powers which kept such disputes in check. All the rival groups have reached a ceasefire agreement following extensive negotiations with a 30-member peace Jirga.

Official sources told The Express Tribune fighting broke out on Friday afternoon and quickly escalated to other parts of Upper Kurram from the Tari Mangal area. “The fighting left Tari Mangal completely surrounded and the supply of edible items as well as medicine blocked, creating a lot many problems for the women, children and elderly,” said an official, adding that the stranded tribesmen requested the district administration to allow it cross into Afghanistan and reenter Pakistan via Torkham Crossing.

On Friday when the fighting started, the district administration claimed to have brokered a ceasefire through a local Jirga but in fact other factions joined the fighting the next day and it greatly escalated the dispute. A 30-member peace jirga, led by Commissioner Kohat, diligently conducted multiple meetings with the elders from both sides since Tuesday. “As per the ceasefire agreement, security forces will be deployed in the bunkers evacuated by the tribesmen to ensure compliance with the ceasefire. The issue of demarcation of common land (Shamilat) will also be discussed at a later stage,” said the official. Federal Minister Sajjid Hussain Turi announced that the jirga’s talks with the rival groups had been successful, with both sides agreeing to the ceasefire.

He further mentioned that the tribesmen had begun vacating their bunkers, indicating their commitment to de-escalating the situation. Gohar Bangash, another member of the jirga, stated that the police and army would be deployed on the mountain tops to maintain peace and stability in the region. According to MS Parachinar, Dr Qaiser Abbas, the death toll over the past five days has reached at least 13, with nearly 105 injured. Local residents of Kurram welcomed the ceasefire decision and after a week the hustle and bustle in the local markets was resumed once again.O

On Wednesday, Additional troops from the Pakistani Army and the Frontier Corps (FC) were deployed in Kurram on government’s request to control the escalating situation caused by land disputes among locals. Violence spread to Boshera Dandar, Khar Kallay, Baleshkhel, Pewar, Gidu, Teri Mengal, Kamran Para Chamkani, Maqbal, and Kunj Alizai. In an official communiqué issued by the KhyberPakhtunkhwa Home department, it was stated that the Army and FC would remain in the area until the situation returns to normal.