January 7, 2025
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE
An 80-truck convoy carrying essential supplies to Kurram remained stalled for the fourth day as the provincial government faced increased criticism for reviving a colonial-era law of holding tribes collectively responsible for ensuring peace in the troubled district.
The convoy, laden with medicines, vegetables, flour, and other necessities, was initially scheduled to depart on Saturday, January 4, but was halted following an attack in the Bagan area of Lower Kurram. Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud and three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were injured when their vehicle came under fire while negotiating with protesters blocking the route.
The district administration has since imposed a 12-hour curfew, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., along the Parachinar-Thal highway to facilitate the convoy’s eventual passage. In Lower Kurram, police arrested Muhammad Irshad, president of the Sadda Bazaar Shopkeepers Association, for violating the curfew, sparking a protest demonstration at Amir Mowayia Chowk in Sadda. Shopkeepers in Sadda Bazaar shut their businesses and demanded the authorities to release Irshad who was arrested on his way to a sit-in at Mandori in Lower Kurram.
Tribal elders arrested for not signing peace deal
Separately, the district administration arrested three tribal elders -Syed Rehman, Saifullah, and Karim Khan – for not signing the Jan 1 peace deal. In a statement, the district administration announced that it would implement decisions taken in last month’s Apex Committee meeting regarding the restoration of normalcy in the troubled district. The district administration said cases had also been registered against protesters for blockading a road by staging a sit-in outside the Parachinar Press Club. The district authorities also reported that four of the five individuals nominated in the FIR for the attack on Deputy Commissioner Mehsud have been apprehended, with efforts underway to capture additional suspects.
Aid to Bagan victims halted
In response to the Jan 4 attack on the DC, sources revealed that the provincial government has halted financial aid to victims in Bagan whose houses and shops were destroyed in mob attacks following the Nov 21 attack on a convoy. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had issued orders to provide financial assistance to Bagan victims. A survey of 90% of the affected houses and shops in Bagan has been completed, but compensation has yet to be disbursed. The administration demands that jirga elders in Bagan hand over “miscreants”. The peace agreement’s implementation has faced resistance, as well as logistical challenges. Residents of Bagan, whose homes and shops were burned during tribal clashes, have raised concerns about unresolved grievances.
Parachinar residents await convoy
However, frustrations are mounting as tribal elders and residents in Kurram voice their grievances over the prolonged road closures and the stalled convoy.
“Upper Kurram’s population of 400,000 is facing severe difficulties as all shops and markets in the city have completed depleted stocks of essential commodities,” said Haji Imdad, president of Parachinar Trade Union. He said the prolonged road closure has created a humanitarian crisis with people forced to starve.
Parachinar Tehsil Chairman Agha Muzammil Hussain said the convoy of 80 vehicles was unable to reach Parachinar in four days. “The provincial government should take serious and immediate steps to open the highway to Parachinar,” he added.
Haji Ali Jawad, a representative of civil society, revealed that three more children had died due to unavailability of medicines and lack of quality treatment due to the blockade. The number of patients who have died due to lack of treatment and medicines has reached 221, including 147 children in the nearly three-month blockade, he said.
Amid the growing crisis, Barrister Dr. Muhammad Saif, the provincial government’s spokesperson, reiterated measures to restore stability in Kurram. “In light of the Apex Committee’s decision, check posts and security are being enhanced along the main highway,” he said in a statement on Tuesday. Dr. Saif also announced a February 1 deadline to eliminate unauthorized bunkers and weapons in the district. “We will completely wipe out evil elements and make Kurram a cradle of peace,” he assured, urging residents to cooperate with authorities in establishing a peaceful atmosphere. Saif emphasised that the convoy would proceed only after the route was fully secured.
Kurram peace accord rooted in FCR: Afrasiab Khattak
Afrasiab Khattak, a veteran human rights advocate and politician, compared the imposition of collective responsibility in the Kurram peace accord to the colonial-era Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR). “The provincial government and civil and military bureaucracies are still addicted to the FCR,” Khattak remarked. “They do not consider the people of Kurram as citizens, but as subjects to be ruled.” He emphasized the government’s failure over six years to build modern civil institutions, such as courts and police, in the merged tribal districts, leaving the region mired in outdated governance systems.
Khattak further highlighted the government’s reliance on tribal elders, or maliks, rather than supporting emerging civil society groups such as students, lawyers, activists, and women in the region. He called for the disarmament of militias and the enforcement of state authority to restore peace in Kurram and other merged districts.
KP govt abdicating itself of responsibility: Bushra Gohar
Bushra Gohar, a former parliamentarian and human rights advocate, criticized the government’s mishandling of the crisis. “The situation in Kurram could have been handled better if the government had investigated and taken timely legal action against those responsible for violence and killings,” she said. Gohar condemned the inaction of security officials during the Nov 21 attack on a convoy of unarmed passengers and the lack of accountability for the serious security breach.
She also pointed out the provincial government’s abdication of its responsibilities. “The Chief Minister has put the burden of ensuring peace on local elders through jirgas, which lack constitutional and legal authority,” Gohar noted. “Jirgas aren’t convened when terrorist attacks happen in other parts of the country. Why only in Pakhtunkhwa?”
Govt failed to resolve grievances before peace deal: Farzana Ali
The humanitarian situation in Kurram remains dire, with the region enduring a three-month blockade. Farzana Ali, a senior journalist, highlighted the government’s delayed response to tribal clashes that have claimed over 200 lives since July. “The government acted hastily under media pressure to secure a peace agreement without addressing the reservations of Sunni and Shia tribes,” she said. Ali noted that unresolved grievances, such as compensation for burned homes and shops, continue to fuel tensions.
Criticism of the government’s handling of the crisis is widespread. Tribal elders and civil society groups have demanded that the government prioritize opening roads and securing the area for safe movement. “The ongoing firing is a clear violation of the peace agreement. The government must act to uphold the agreement and ensure peace,” tribal leaders urged.
The delayed convoy, unresolved grievances, and escalating violence reflect broader governance challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. As militancy resurges in districts like Bajaur, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, and South Waziristan, the provincial government faces immense pressure to restore peace and address the humanitarian crisis gripping Kurram. For now, residents await not only essential supplies but also decisive action to break the cycle of violence and neglect.