Grand jirga will reconvene tomorrow under the chairmanship of the Kohat commissioner
Shamim Shahid
KOHAT: A peace agreement in Kurram District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, failed to be finalized as one party did not sign the accord during the grand peace jirga held in Kohat.
Sources indicate that one party had already signed the agreement, and the second party was expected to sign today, but the jirga session has been adjourned and is likely to continue tomorrow.
A jirga member mentioned that the deadline for the agreement had been extended to Wednesday, and the jirga had been summoned earlier today.
Haji Malik Thawab Khan expressed optimism that the jirga would soon reach a resolution, adding that the government had set Wednesday for a final decision. Both parties are reportedly agreeing to vacate and demolish fortifications.
However, one party remains hesitant to disarm due to fears of attacks from Afghan border militants. Efforts are ongoing to resolve issues and reopen the roads.
Meanwhile, the closure of key routes, including the main road in Parachinar and the Pak-Afghan border, has led to severe shortages of food and medicine in the area for over two and a half months. A two-week-long protest has been ongoing outside the Parachinar Press Club in response to the blockade.
An agreement between the parties for peace in Kurram district is likely to be finalized today, with a Grand Jirga set to take place at the Commissioner House in Kohat.
According to sources, leaders from one party have been in Kohat for several days, while leaders from the other party, who had requested two more days, are expected to arrive today. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Adviser Barrister Saif stated that general consensus has been reached between the parties.
The peace agreement includes the dismantling of bunkers, the surrender of heavy weapons by both parties, and the movement of convoys on the Tull-Parachinar road. In case of a terrorist incident, only the government will take action.
It is important to note that due to the closure of the Tull-Parachinar road for nearly three months, there has been a severe shortage of food and medicines in Parachinar, worsening the situation.
A protest is ongoing in Parachinar against the road blockade, and similar protests are being held in cities including Peshawar, Lahore, Karachi, Jhang, Multan, Muzaffarabad, and Gilgit.
A breakthrough is likely in the Kurram peace agreement, with tribal elders agreeing to sign the draft. According to media, government members and elders will hold another peace jirga (tribal council) tomorrow, Tuesday, to discuss the issue, and there is hope for a resolution. The jirga has not yet reached a final decision, as one party of elders has not yet signed the peace agreement.
Sources within the jirga have stated that the deadlock in the Kurram peace agreement is expected to end, and the elders have been persuaded to sign the agreement’s draft.
It is worth noting that the main road from Peshawar to Parachinar has been closed for over two and a half months. People in Parachinar and several villages in Upper Kurram have been facing difficulties in obtaining food and medicines. In protest against the road closure, sit-ins are ongoing at five locations in Parachinar, including the Parachinar Press Club.
