January 18, 2025
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE
The Kurram district administration has initiated preparations for a potential security operation in Lower Kurram following the Jan 16 attack on a food convoy in Bagan that left eight people dead.
In a letter dated January 17, Ashfaq Khan, Deputy Commissioner of Kurram, requested the Provincial Relief, Settlement, and Rehabilitation Department to assist in setting up camps for displaced residents from four village councils in Lower Kurram. “The law enforcement agencies are planning an operation in various areas of Lower Kurram,” the deputy commission said in the letter.
TDP camps in Hangu’s Thall for Kurram TDPs
In anticipation of the operation, the deputy commission proposed four camps to be designated in Hangu’s Thall area to accommodate over 1,000 families potentially displaced from the village councils of Bagan, Mandori/Charkhel/Uchat, Chapri Paraw, and Chapri. These camps, located at Government Boys Degree College, Government Technical College, Rescue-1122 compound, and the under-construction Judicial Complex, will house an estimated 17,000 individuals, the estimated population of the four village councils.
Law enforcement agencies plan to counteract ongoing violence, secure essential routes, and establish lasting peace. The operation aims to address the persistent threats that have disrupted daily life, including repeated attacks on convoys and vehicles in Lower Kurram. The urgency for action has intensified following the Jan 16 attack when a convoy of 35 vehicles traveling from Tal to Parachinar was ambushed in Bagan. The attack resulted in the deaths of eight individuals, including five drivers, a passenger, and two security personnel. Six attackers were reportedly killed in retaliatory helicopter shelling, but several people remain missing. Additionally, 33 of the convoy’s vehicles were looted or destroyed, with 12 set ablaze.
For over 110 days, Upper Kurram has been under siege, with key highway routes blocked, isolating a population of nearly 500,000. The blockade has caused severe shortages of essential commodities, leading to mounting hardships and fatalities. The business community has reported extensive economic losses, with 33 trucks’ worth of goods either looted or destroyed.
Violations of peace agreement
Members of the Grand Jirga have expressed concerns over repeated violations of the January 1 peace agreement. Pir Haider, Laiq Orakzai, Wasi Syed Mian, and Haji Noorjaf noted that while eight tribal bunkers have been demolished as part of the agreement, recent violations have jeopardised its credibility. They warned that the failure to enforce the agreement could render future jirgas and peace efforts ineffective. The leaders of the Turi Bangash tribes have issued a three-day ultimatum to the government to implement a strict security plan. They have demanded the reopening of blocked roads, the safeguarding of convoys, and decisive action against terrorists. Failure to act, they warned, would prompt the community to take matters into their own hands.
The protracted crisis in Kurram demands urgent intervention. Residents of Parachinar and surrounding areas continue to face dire shortages of food and medical supplies. As the security operation looms, hopes are pinned on the government and law enforcement agencies to restore order, reopen vital routes, and alleviate the suffering of the besieged population.