Pakhtun Qaumi Jirga leaves Kurram after talks

PARACHINAR: The Pakhtun Qaumi Jirga from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan has concluded a week of negotiations in Kurram district and returned without reaching a resolution.

However, negotiations will continue tomorrow in Kohat. The roads in Kurram has been blocked for 62 days. Jirga member Malik Naseer Kukikhel informed the media that one party in Kurram granted the jirga authority for a ceasefire on the second day of talks, while the opposing side requested additional time. The delay led the jirga to decide to leave Kurram temporarily.

Malik Naseer noted that a third party in the region appeared to favour a military operation over peace, further complicating the process. Mufti Kifayatullah, another jirga member, explained that their departure was in accordance with Pakhtun traditions, particularly since a grand peace jirga is still ongoing in Kohat. He expressed optimism about returning to Kurram soon to continue efforts for peace.

Meanwhile, no final decision was reached in Kohat’s grand peace jirga and discussions would resume tomorrow. Also, road closures caused by attacks on passenger vehicles and clashes have led to severe hardships for the local population. The blockade has disrupted supplies of essential items, including food, fuel, and medicines. Gas shortages have forced hotels and bakeries to shut down.

Provincial Member Assembly Ali Hadi Irfani said that labourers traveling abroad were losing visas and tickets, while students and professionals faced mounting difficulties due to the lack of transport.

He urged authorities to secure and reopen the main highway to ease public suffering. Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Adviser to Chief Minister on Information, stated that the government was working to address the shortage of medicines. “On the chief minister’s instructions, helicopters are being used to deliver essential supplies,” he said.