Tirah Valley on edge as insecurity, stalled talks leave residents displaced

A renewed wave of insecurity over the past two years in the Maidan area of the scenic Tirah Valley of Khyber tribal district has severely disrupted daily life, crippling economic activity and forcing hundreds of families to abandon their homes in search of safety.

According to local sources, business activity across Tirah Valley has come to a near standstill, with markets largely deserted due to persistent fear and uncertainty. The education of children has been badly affected, as most schools have remained closed for nearly a year. Residents say there is also an acute lack of functional health facilities, compounding the hardships faced by the local population.

Intermittent exchanges of fire and mortar shelling have claimed the lives of dozens of civilians and left many injured. Women and children constitute a significant portion of the victims. As a result, widespread fear has gripped the region, prompting mass displacement from several areas, including Bar Qambar Khel, Malik Din Khel, Shalobar, Adam Khel, Aka Khel, and Zakha Khel. Hundreds of families have migrated to Bara and Peshawar, where many are residing with relatives, while others have rented accommodation.

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Meanwhile, clashes between security forces and terrorist groups continue intermittently in different parts of Tirah’s Maidan area, further destabilizing the region.

In an effort to restore peace, multiple negotiation jirgas were convened involving government officials, including Peshawar Commissioner Riaz Mehsud, elected representatives MNA Iqbal Afridi and MPA Abdul Ghani Afridi, as well as local elders. Among the prominent participants were JUI district chief Maulana Hazrat Khan Afridi, tribal elder Zahir Shah Afridi, Kamal Din, and other community leaders. However, these efforts failed to produce tangible results.

Recently, a 52-member jirga led by prominent elders, including Maulana Qazi Mehboobul Haq, Maulana Hazrat Khan, and Maulana Izzatullah, met Chief Minister Sohail Afridi at the Chief Minister’s House. Despite high expectations, the jirga ended without a breakthrough, reportedly due to disagreements over statements made by some participants.

On the other hand, security forces have taken a final decision to launch an operation against the armed outlawed groups in Tirah’s Maidan area and have advised residents to vacate the area to avoid civilian casualties. However, no final announcement has yet been made regarding the timing or scope of displacement. A key consultative meeting between Afridi tribes and security forces also concluded without a definitive outcome, though both sides agreed to continue dialogue.

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Local elders stated that the Afridi tribes have presented their core demands to the security forces, including guarantees of peace, fair compensation for affected families, mutual consultation on future strategy, and protection of the rights of the local population. They stressed that no major decision would be acceptable until these demands are fully addressed.

Security officials, meanwhile, have indicated that the demands will be reviewed and that another formal meeting will be convened to discuss displacement, law and order, and the future of the area.

The atmosphere of uncertainty persists in Tirah Valley, with residents anxiously awaiting government decisions. Elders have made it clear that they will not support any measure that further aggravates the suffering of the local population.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, PDMA Khyber Coordinator Abdul Ghani said that a registration camp for Tirah’s internally displaced persons had earlier been established at Painda Cheena. However, he added that no new policy or camp is currently in place regarding potential displacement.