Kurram to be cleared of arms, bunkers; peace pact in progress, says KP CM\u2019s adviser
\nPESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced that any party resorting to aggression in the Kurram district will be treated as terrorists once the existing bunkers are dismantled.
\nKP Chief Minister\u2019s Adviser Barrister Muhammad Saif said on Friday that as per the Apex Committee\u2019s decision, Kurram will be cleared of arms and bunkers to ensure long-term peace.
\nBarrister Saif emphasised that both sides involved in the conflict have been given 15 days to provide a detailed plan for surrendering arms. Additionally, there will be a strict ban on the public display and use of weapons in Kurram. Fundraising for arms purchases in the region will also be prohibited.
\nAccording to the KP CM\u2019s adviser, the construction of new bunkers is forbidden under the recently signed peace agreement. All existing bunkers must be dismantled within a month, after which any faction engaging in hostilities will face strict action as terrorists.
\nHe added that travel and security arrangements are underway for convoys heading to Kurram as part of the disarmament efforts.
\nThe district administration has also confirmed that the main Peshawar-Parachinar highway will be reopened for convoys, with obstructions strictly disallowed.
\nThe two warring tribes in Kurram finally reached a consensus and signed a peace agreement on Thursday after days-long negotiations. The agreement follows a grand jirga held in Kohat, where 50 sessions were conducted to reach a consensus. All parties played a pivotal role in the peace pact, which aims to restore stability in the conflict-hit region.
\nThe accord containing 14 points aimed at establishing peace in the area as violence plagued the restive territory for several weeks, was signed by 45 members of each party, Jirga member Malik Sawab Khan said.
\nThe KP Apex Committee last month decided to dismantle all private bunkers in the Kurram district as part of efforts to restore peace in the region.
\nKurram crisis
\nKurram, a district of more than 600,000 residents near Pakistan\u2019s border with Afghanistan, has long been a hotspot for sectarian violence.
\nDespite multiple truces announced over the past year, the issue remained unresolved, with tribal elders continuing efforts to negotiate a permanent peace agreement.
\nRecent months have seen escalating tensions, with clashes since July to date leaving over 200 people dead.
\nThe clashes that erupted in November 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.
\nReports 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.
\nIn addition to the ongoing sit-in at the Parachinar Press Club, the road closures have sparked protests in Karachi, now in their ninth day. On Monday, a separate protest was staged in Bagan, in the lower part of Kurram, against damage to shops and homes in the area.
\nProtesters demanded the reopening of roads and assistance for affected individuals. However, district administration officials cited security concerns, including recent firing on passenger vehicles and tribal clashes, as the reason for the closures.
\nThe district was declared \u201cdisaster-hit\u201d by the provincial government with authorities airlifting medical supplies to the area and evacuating people in critical need.
\nUnderscoring that a consensus has been reached on all major points, Barrister Saif had said that bunkers would be abolished and the area would be de-weaponised as per the Apex Committee\u2019s decision.
\nHe reaffirmed the government\u2019s resolve to achieve a permanent and sustainable solution to the conflict dating back more than a century.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Kurram to be cleared of arms, bunkers; peace pact in progress, says KP CM\u2019s adviser PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced that any party resorting to aggression in the Kurram district will be treated as terrorists once the existing bunkers are dismantled. KP Chief Minister\u2019s Adviser Barrister Muhammad Saif said on Friday that as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-453361","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n