Bilawal slams KP govt for ‘silence’ over Kurram turmoil

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has censured the Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, terming the turmoil in Kurram as the provincial administration’s failure, The News reported on Monday.

“The government’s silence in this turmoil is tantamount to being an ally of terrorists [….] We condemn the criminal negligence of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) government” said the PPP chairman in a statement issued on Sunday.

The politician’s remarks come against the backdrop of scores of fatalities in the district which has been marred by a significant surge in violence in recent times.

Kurram, for months, has witnessed deadly tribal clashes which once again sprung up last week leaving dozens dead and wounding several others.

The latest tribal clashes started after gunmen attacked convoys of civilian vehicles on Thursday, killing at least 44.

So far, more than 70 people have lost their lives in the latest wave of violence that has gripped the district.

A day earlier, KP government spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif confirmed that the the warring tribes had agreed to a seven-day ceasefire.

“The two parties have agreed to return each other’s hostages and bodies,” said Saif.

The spokesperson also noted that the government delegation flew to Parachinar — Kurram’s main city — on Saturday to meet leaders of both sides.

Expanding on the situation, Bilawal decried the immense loss in the last few days lamenting that people were not even safe in their homes.

“On the one hand, the Kurram district is burning in the fire of unrest and, on the other hand, the KP government is absent from the scene,” said the PPP chief.

Emphasising that maintaining law and order is the primary responsibility of the provincial government, he remarked that the PTI government had failed to protect the lives and property of citizens.

Furthermore, the PPP chairman has also directed KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi to provide a detailed report on the situation in the Kurram district.

The latest violence in Kurram has not only warranted Bilawal’s reaction but has also drawn condemnation and concerns from human rights groups.

Reacting to the loss of lives in the district, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has urged authorities this month to pay “urgent attention” to the “alarming frequency of clashes” in the region, warning that the situation has escalated to “the proportions of a humanitarian crisis.”