Efforts on to bring peace in Kurram: Saif

PESHAWAR/PARACHINAR: Adviser to Chief Minister on Information and Public Affairs Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif on Sunday said that talks were being held to bring peace to the restive Kurram tribal district.

Talking to reporters here, he said that the bunkers would be dismantled and heavy weapons collected from all sides to ensure lasting peace in Kurram.

“Safe travel on the roads will only be possible after dismantling the bunkers and collecting arms from the warring sides,” he maintained.

Barrister Saif reiterated the provincial government’s commitment to establishing lasting peace. He said that dismantling bunkers and collecting heavy weapons from both sides were prerequisites for a peaceful resolution. “Safe travel on roads will only be possible once bunkers are removed and weapons are surrendered to the administration voluntarily,” Barrister Saif said.

He underlined the government’s seriousness under the leadership of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in resolving the crisis and restoring normalcy to the region.

Meanwhile, the Grand Peace Jirga, aimed at achieving lasting peace in the Kurram district, continued talks for the 9th consecutive day without any progress on contentious issues. The failure to reach an agreement has exacerbated the region’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, with two more children reported dead due to lack of access to essential medical care, food, and fuel.

The jirga, held in Kohat, brought together tribal elders from the conflicting sides in Kurram.

According to a jirga member Syed Raza Hussain, several key points of contention with the government remained unresolved. He highlighted the dire situation in Upper Kurram, where the population had been besieged for two months due to blockades.

“The residents in Parachinar and Upper Kurram are trapped. The blockade has halted the supply of food, petrol, and medicine, crippling daily life. Children are dying due to lack of medical treatment,” Hussain stated.

Social activist Mir Afzal Khan said that two more children died as they could not be transported to Peshawar for treatment. “The death toll has now risen to 32, including 17 children. If the main road connecting Kurram to the rest of Pakistan remains closed, Parachinar will turn into a graveyard,” he warned.

The Kurram district, particularly the Parachinar region, has been marred by sectarian violence and tribal clashes for decades. The closure of the district’s sole road has deepened the crisis.

As tensions rise and humanitarian conditions worsen, calls for immediate government intervention grow louder. The residents of Kurram await a resolution to their plight, fearing further casualties if decisive action is not taken.