Kurram talks hit impasse as one group refuses to disarm

PESHAWAR: The deadlock continues in the negotiations between parties in Kurram, as one group has refused to surrender its weapons to the government.

Furthermore, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has denied the allegations of 29 children’s deaths in Parachinar due to the ongoing crisis, stating that the District Health Officer made the statement under pressure, which has no truth to it.

An official told this correspondent that a group travelled to Islamabad on Saturday for consultations with their elders but has yet to join the discussions. The group’s absence has left the jirga elders awaiting their participation, further delaying progress. One of the key officials of the KP government reiterated that the refusal to surrender weapons by one group has significantly added to the challenges faced by the jirga in achieving a resolution. The official said that peace cannot be established in the area without the return of weapons, and therefore, both parties will have to surrender their weapons to the government.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam categorically denied claims circulating on social media regarding the alleged deaths of 29 children in Parachinar. He said the relief efforts, including the supply of medicines and essential daily items, are being conducted via helicopters to ensure support for the affected population.

He detailed the relief operations, saying that medicines and supplies, including kits for 3,200 patients, were delivered to Lower Kurram on November 28. Additionally, medicines and supplies worth approximately Rs200 million were airlifted to District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital Parachinar in Upper Kurram through several sorties: two on December 4 using the Ecureuil helicopter, one each on December 5 and 6, two on December 8 using the M-171 helicopter, and one on December 17. Critically injured patients (five) were also airlifted from Parachinar to Peshawar on December 4 and 8. Furthermore, a two-month stock of EPI vaccines, with a cold chain maintained, was airlifted to Parachinar on December 17.

Secretary Health Adeel Shah said that DHQ Parachinar currently has sufficient stock of medicines to cater to patient needs for the next few months. He added that an M-17 helicopter carrying 2,000 kg of medicines was scheduled for deployment to Lower Kurram on December 18.