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       KURRAM: Warring tribes in Khyber Pakht-unkhwa’s restive Kurram district agreed on Sunday to a week-long ceasefire, an exchange of hostages and the retrieval of bodies following three days of armed clashes that left at least 64 people dead and over 70 injured.

       The truce was brokered by an official delegation led by Barrister Muha-mmad Ali Saif, the information adviser to the KP’s chief minister.

       “We engaged both groups (in the Parachinar and Sadda cities of Kur-ram), convincing them to agree to a seven-day ceasefire. Hostages will be released and the bodies of the deceased will also be recovered,” Mr Saif told Dawn.

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       The delegation, which included the provincial chief secretary, police chief and law minister, was dispatched to Kurram to assess the situation after a deadly ambush on a passenger convoy last Thursday claimed over 40 lives.

       The attack, allegedly a reprisal for an earlier assault on Oct 12, has triggered a wave of violence in the district.

       In a retaliatory attack on Friday night, armed groups from the district headquarters Parachinar stormed Bagan Bazaar and surrounding villages in Lower Kurram, leaving 21 dead.

       Kurram district, which borders Afghanistan, has long been plagued by sectarian tensions, often fuelled by disputes over land ownership.

       While the government-appointed land commission reportedly submitted its findings in the past, the report remains unpublished due to sectarian sensitivities.

       Mr Saif said that normalising the situation was the delegation’s top priority before carrying on with negotiations to address deeper disputes since “nothing could be done during an ongoing conflict”.

       Despite achieving a temporary truce, tensions remain high in areas like Bagan, where some armed individuals continue to hold positions.

       The chief minister’s adviser said that the groups made a commitment to the delegation for the ceasefire and hoped that the hostage swap would also be done today (Monday).

       He admitted the situation remains tense in areas like Bagan and hoped it would normalise after the swap.

       Mr Saif also noted that since most elders from both groups resided in Kohat district, the delegations planned to visit Kohat today as talks were still underway.

       “Both sides have agreed to a ceasefire, but the delegation is monitoring the situation and keeping an eye on miscreants,” Mr Saif said.

       Meanwhile, the district remained tense on Sunday, with reports of intermittent firing from various locations, including Bagan, Alizai, Baleechkhel and Kharkalay in Lower Kurram, as well as Kanj Alizai and Maqbal in Upper Kurram.

       While taking to Dawn, former MNA Sajid Turi called for increased cooperation from security forces, police and local administration to stabilise the district.

       Bilawal criticises KP govt

       PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday expressed deep concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in Kurram, condemning the provincial government’s handling of the crisis, the APP reported.

       “On the one hand, the Kurram district is burning in the fire of unrest, and on the other, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is absent from the scene,” he stated in a press release from Bilawal House.

       He pointed out that in the last few days, 80 citizens had been killed in Kurram, and people were not even safe in their homes, adding that the government’s silence during this turmoil was tantamount to being an ally of the terrorists.

       Mr Bhutto-Zardari emphasised that maintaining law and order was the primary responsibility of the provincial government and that the PTI-led provincial government had failed to protect the lives and property of citizens.

       “We condemn the criminal negligence of the PTI government in Kurram,” he said.

       “My heart is bleeding for the victims, and we cannot stand to see Khyber Pakhtunkhwa burn in the flames of lawlessness. The Pakistan Peoples Party will play its role in ensuring peace and order, not only in Kurram but across the entire province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he added.

       Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2024