Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan]: A seven-day ceasefire was agreed upon between two warring tribes in Kurram District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Sunday, following intense efforts by the provincial government to de-escalate violence that has plagued the region.
This ceasefire is seen as a crucial step in curbing the violence that has already claimed 64 lives in recent weeks, with the death toll rising following a series of deadly clashes, Dawn reported.
The agreement comes after the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government decided to form a high-powered commission aimed at settling long-standing land disputes between the tribes. Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, the chief minister’s adviser on information, confirmed that the ceasefire would last for seven days.
He added that both tribes had agreed to return each other’s bodies and prisoners as part of the truce. “The ceasefire was agreed upon for seven days between the tribes, both of which also decided to return each other’s bodies and prisoners,” Barrister Saif stated in his announcement.
The violence in the region had escalated earlier in the week when a convoy of around 200 vehicles came under heavy gunfire on Thursday in Bagan town, killing at least 43 people. Another 21 deaths occurred in fresh clashes on Saturday, heightening fears of further unrest. On Friday, intense firefights between the tribes wounded over 30 individuals. Despite the ceasefire agreement, sporadic gunfire continued throughout Lower Kurram until Saturday evening, leaving residents in constant fear.
To mediate the conflict, government representatives met with leaders from both the Shia and Sunni tribes. A delegation met with the Shia tribe on Saturday, while talks with Sunni leaders were held the following day. Afterwards, the delegation returned to Peshawar, where Barrister Saif confirmed positive developments in engagements with the stakeholders. “There are positive developments in engagements with stakeholders,” he told Reuters.
While the ceasefire has provided a reprieve, political figures are calling for more immediate action to restore long-term peace. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari voiced his concerns over the escalating lawlessness, criticising the provincial government’s inaction, reported Dawn.
“On one hand, the Kurram district is burning in the fire of unrest, and on the other, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is absent from the scene,” Bilawal said. He further accused the PTI-led provincial government of failing to protect the lives and property of citizens, asserting that its silence was akin to being “an ally of the terrorists.”
Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, also expressed her deep concern over the violence. “My heart aches for the families of Parachinar, Kurram, as sectarian violence escalates and affects every part of daily life, including schools,” Malala said in a statement on X.
She called on the Pakistani government and security forces to work together to ensure the safety of the people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stressing that they deserve to live in peace. “Pakistan’s government and security forces must work together to keep people safe. The people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa deserve to live in peace,” she concluded, as per the report by Dawn.
As the ceasefire continues, attention remains on how the government will address the root causes of the violence and work toward a lasting solution in Kurram.