PESHAWAR, JAN 19: In efforts to secure the roads and establish lasting peace in the restive Kurram district, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to take “indiscriminate and stringent action” against miscreants involved in attacks on relief convoys and deputy commissioner.
The decision was taken in a high-level meeting, which was attended by provincial chief secretary, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Akhtar Hayat Khan and civil and police officers, KP government spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said in a statement.
“Action against such miscreants in affected areas is indispensable,” he said, vowing to ensure the implementation of a peace agreement within the two warring tribes as per the law.
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Kurram has been wracked by violence for decades, but around 150 people have been killed in a fresh round of fighting which started in November last year when two separate convoys travelling under police escort were ambushed, leaving 40 people dead.
Despite the peace agreement reached on January 1, there have been repeated attacks on convoys and vehicles in the Bagan area and its surroundings, including a targeted attack on Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud.
Last week, terrorists ambushed a convoy of 35 vehicles set to resupply local traders in the restive territory with rice, flour, cooking oil and essential medicine, which claimed the lives of at least 8 people, including security personnel, drivers and civilians. Retaliatory action by security forces resulted in the killing of six assailants.
In the statement issued today, Barrister Saif regretted that some miscreants have “infiltrated” among the peace-loving people of Kurram.
“Best alternative arrangements have been made for the accommodation of the people of the affected areas,” he said ahead of the action.
The spokesperson said that the provincial government has been trying to restore peace in Kurram for the past three months. “Such miscreants tried to sabotage the peace agreement in the district,” he added.
Urging the people of affected areas to “fully cooperate” with the government, Barrister Saif said that the government would soon eliminate the miscreants and restore peace in the area.
Separately, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has opposed the KP government’s plan to launch operation in Kurram, saying that issues cannot be resolved through such actions. “Finding solutions to problems through force would be futile,” he added.
He suggested that the matters should be resolved through jirga by taking politicians into confidence, adding that if the establishment wants to take any advice from his party regarding the Kurram situation, they would not refuse.
Meanwhile, a huge consignment of medicines has been dispatched to Upper Kurram “on the instructions of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and advisor health,” said the health secretary.
“These medicines are being handed over to MS [Medical Superintendent] Parachinar to deal with the emergency situation,” he said, adding that medicines worth 3,055 kg were being delivered by government helicopter.
TDPs camps established
Meanwhile, the district administration has established camps for temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) in anticipation of a potential operation against terrorists in four village councils of the lower part of Kurram tribal district, The News reported.
The deputy commissioner issued a notification for an operation in the four village councils, including Bagan, Mandori, Charkhel, Ochat, Chapri and Chapripao in lower Kurram.
Camps for the TDPs have been set up at Degree College, Tal, Technical College, and Rescue 1122, and a block has been allocated at the district court.
