Rivals agree to indefinite ceasefire in Kurram

KOHAT: The efforts launched by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to bring peace to the restive Kurram tribal district yielded results on Friday as the rival sides agreed on an indefinite ceasefire.

The development came at a grand jirga convened at the Kohat Commissioner’s House to find an amicable solution to the trouble in the Kurram district beset by turmoil that was ignited last month.

The latest round of violence which started some two months back has claimed 200 lives so far. As many as 132 people had been killed since November 21 when a convoy of passenger vehicles was attacked. There were casualties in sporadic acts of violence reported earlier as well.

The chief minister later directed the officials and public representatives to convene a Grand Jirga to facilitate the solution to the dispute. The Jirga, facilitated by Kohat Commissioner Division Syed Motasim Billah Shah engaged in a dialogue between the rival sides to ensure peace in Kurram.

The iirga that met at the Kohat Commissioner’s House was attended by 100 representatives from both parties to the dispute. Deputy Inspector General, Kohat Range, Sher Akbar Khan was present on the occasion.

The members of the grand jirga held separate talks with the representatives of both sides. The talks continued for hours. It later led to an agreement that the ceasefire effected recently would be extended for an indefinite time. It was decided that the bunkers would remain empty till a final decision by the jirga.

The parties agreed that issues could not be resolved through armed conflicts. They noted that time was needed to find a durable solution to the issue which had lingered on for decades and that would require sincerity and trust from both sides.

There was a resolve that the parties would keep negotiations on for peace in the region as the future of their children was linked to that. They vowed to return to the native areas with a message of peace.

The Kohat division commissioner said the government would shoulder all the responsibilities to restore calm to Kurram. “The government writ will be restored at all costs,” he vowed.