July 11, 2026
By Islam Gul Afridi
KHYBER
The process of returning families displaced from Tirah Valley to their homes has been announced to be completed between October 10 and 15.
The decision was made in a high-level meeting between the local elders’ 24-member committee, district administration, and security officials on July 10. However, the affected families and their representative movement have expressed serious reservations about the proposed date.
Assurance of implementation on 37 demands
Maulana Hazrat Khan, an important member of the committee, told Voicepk that the authorities had proposed October 10 as the return date. However, committee members expressed concerns, taking the position that this date is too far off. “In October, a severe cold wave sets in across Tirah Valley, which will make it impossible to repair homes and other property there. Therefore, the return date should not be pushed so far back,” Khan said.
Maulana Hazrat Khan said talks between the committee and the authorities are ongoing so that an earlier return date can be fixed.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the IG FC North, the Commissioner of Peshawar, the Deputy Commissioner of Khyber, and other senior officials. According to sources, government representatives assured that the law-and-order situation in the area would be fully improved before the return process begins, while full and faithful implementation of the 37 demands presented by the 24-member committee would be ensured.
The jirga also decided that ongoing development projects in the area would continue without interruption, and that all concerns raised by the committee would be addressed on a priority basis.
“The meeting decided that, to ensure implementation of all 37 points of the agreement, a committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner of Khyber will meet every day to review health, education, and ongoing development projects in Tirah Valley. The committee is satisfied that all points of the agreement will be implemented,” Khan added.
Due to unrest in Tirah Valley, the local population was displaced for a second time starting last November, while formal registration began on January 6 of this year. Under the agreement reached at that time, the return date had been set for April 10, which could not be implemented.
Mixed reaction from IDPs
Displaced families and the Tehrik-e-Mutasireen, who have maintained a protest camp in front of Bara Press Club for the past five and a half months, have shown a mixed reaction to the latest announcement of the return date.
Sohbat Khan Afridi, a spokesperson for the Tehrik-e-Mutasireen, expressed concern over the return date, saying: “The government also never issued any formal notification regarding the forced displacement, which is why displaced people are still deprived of their basic rights today. At the time of displacement too, people suffered heavy financial and human losses because of severe cold. If the return happens in October, it will create further problems. It would be better if the return process began immediately.”
Abdul Baqi, who was displaced along with his family in January this year and has been living in a cave where basic facilities are almost non-existent, said: “We want to return to our homes as soon as possible, because we have neither a business nor a home here. This place also belongs to someone else — if tomorrow he comes and throws us out, we will have nowhere to go except our own home.”
Delays in registration leave the displaced worried
Despite six months having passed since the agreement, problems faced by displaced families in registration and obtaining financial assistance remain unresolved. Those left out of formal registration say they are facing severe hardship.
Muhammad Ramzan is among those whose registration has not yet been completed. He was present at the centre established near Bara Bazaar’s Al-Haj Market, where verification is under way for people on the list prepared on the recommendation of local elders. “We face many problems here, including not having a home and having to live in tents. We cannot pay our electricity bills or house rent, and we have no business either. That is why we keep telling the government to start the process of returning us to our homes soon,” he said.
According to district officials, 34,000 families were registered in the first phase, while a further 16,000 families’ names, recommended by local elders, were submitted to the committee set up at the Deputy Commissioner’s office for registration.
During the meeting, the 24-member committee raised strong objections to the NADRA centre at Al-Haj Market in Bara requiring people on the GRC list to re-verify their Tirah Valley address and prove their address afresh. According to sources, following the committee’s objection, the issue was resolved immediately, and the difficulties faced by verified affected persons were removed.
“It has been agreed with the authorities that people on the list will not be blocked from registration on the basis of a duplicate address on their ID card, or other issues related to district or agency. Those whose names are not on the new list should submit forms through their tribal elders,” said Nawaz Khan, a member of the Tirah Tribal Committee.
Provincial govt earmarks funds
No formal statement has yet been issued by the provincial government regarding the announced October 10 return date. On the matter of the possible military operation and the displacement, the provincial government’s position has been that it has no connection to this process, and that the entire matter is being run by security authorities at their own discretion.
However, with regard to financial assistance, the provincial government has released more than six billion rupees in the first phase, while a further five and a half billion rupees has been allocated in the new budget.
The new date agreed between the authorities and the local elders is being described as a formal step forward. But conditions on the ground — the onset of cold weather, incomplete registration, and the destruction of homes — indicate that several challenges still remain on the road to a full and dignified return for the displaced families of Tirah Valley.