PESHAWAR:
An important development was the negotiation of a peace agreement between the warring tribes of Kurram in light of the decisions taken by the KP high committee.
As part of the truce agreement, all bunkers in the troubled district will be demolished and weapons handed over.
Following the agreement, the KP government also swung into action and decided to open key roads leading to Kurram and start movement of vehicles in caravans from January 4. The restive Kurram district was left disconnected from the rest of the country due to the poor law and order situation that had forced the KP government to provide food and medicine through helicopters to people stranded in the area.
In response to the dire situation, the apex committee meeting was held under the chairmanship of KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. Important decisions were taken in the meeting, which was attended by Federal Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi and senior army officers.
The meeting was followed by a Jirga composed of members of the warring tribes. The Jirga worked to reach a consensus and eventually both sides signed an agreement containing 14 points.
peace agreement
All previous collective agreements, including the Murree Agreement, and their decisions, as well as tribal traditions, will remain in force. However, the members of the Kurram Peace Committee will be obliged to restore peace and respect all agreements, making them more effective in the interest of the people of Kurram district.
The government must take punitive measures against those people who commit any subversive act through government channels. In addition, village peace committees located on the highway will be required to cooperate with the government and other institutions. In case of any untoward incident, the local people will prove their innocence according to local traditions and laws. Furthermore, if any individual harbored any unscrupulous element, said person will be considered guilty under the current law.
As per the Murree agreement, all displaced families will be settled in their respective areas without any obstacles being created for their resettlement. A committee will be formed to help displaced families.
Land disputes in Kurram district will be resolved keeping in mind the terms of reference of the Land Revenue Commission. The commission will start work as soon as possible and the Kurram Peace Committee as well as the local administration will cooperate with the commission to resolve the outstanding issues.
Brandishing weapons will not be permitted nor will permission be granted to collect donations for the purchase of weapons.
No person will give a personal dispute the color of a sectarian rift. Banned organizations based on sectarian hatred will not be allowed to open their offices and legal action will be taken in case of violation. No obstacles will be created on roads and communication routes.
All government officials including teachers will perform their duties in Kurram district without any interference or sense of fear.
Unscrupulous elements will be punished for posting material on social media that hurts the sentiments of any party. Those who support said elements will be considered equal accomplices in the crime.
The peace committees will play a key role if any untoward incident occurs in any area, and the other side will refrain from retaliating. Village committee members will cooperate in managing the situation.
In case of conflict between any two villages, the third village will not aggravate the situation, but the peace committees of other villages will try to bridge the gap between the disputed villages.
The installation of all types of bunkers will be totally prohibited. Furthermore, within a month all existing bunkers will be demolished.
The ceasefire between the warring tribes will last and peace efforts will continue.
Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said the efforts of the provincial government have yielded positive results. He termed the agreement between the warring tribes as an important step towards a lasting solution to the Kurram issue. He welcomed the development and congratulated all participants in the peace process.
He called on both sides to reject elements that fuel hatred and disunity.
Barrister Saif, advisor to the KP chief minister, welcomed the agreement and said that one of the parties had signed the agreement a few days ago, while the other party signed the instrument on Wednesday.
He congratulated the people of Kurram district for the development and expressed hope that the region would usher in a new era of peace and prosperity. He said that soon everything will return to normal in the area.
In a related development, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas announced an end to the ongoing protests across the country, following the successful agreement between the warring factions.
At a press conference in Islamabad, Abbas highlighted the months of difficulties faced by the people of Kurram due to blocked routes.
Comparing the situation to that in Gaza, the MWM leader claimed that essential supplies such as medicines had been cut off and that people were suffering in Kurram. He said authorities had paid little attention to their plight, sparking protests from Karachi to Gilgit-Baltistan.
