Tirah Victims’ Rights Conference held at Bara Bazaar on January 31 under the auspices of the Khyber National Jirga. PHOTO: SCREENSHOT
KHYBER:
A jirga convened on Saturday by Bara Siyasi Ittehad, an alliance of different political parties from Bara, on Saturday demanded immediate implementation of its unanimously adopted declaration, calling for the restoration of complete peace in Tirah and a clear guarantee of lasting peace in the future.
The alliance deliberated on the Tirah crisis as tribal elders and community leaders denounced the current situation in the valley.
The jirga was held in Bara at the request of tribal elders and Tirah representatives, where participants discussed the deteriorating situation caused by administrative failures and agreed on a future action plan.
According to the statement, all forms of violence perpetrated by the Khawarij, including shooting, shelling, mortar attacks on houses and shooting down of quadcopters, must stop immediately, as these actions sow fear among civilians.
The alliance also demanded that the dignified return of all displaced families be ensured and that every promise and agreement made with them be formally recognized and implemented in practice.
The statement called for impartial investigations into political interference, nepotism, administrative failures and corruption in the registration of Tirah victims, and demanded action against those responsible.
He also called for the full registration of all residents who own houses or properties in Tirah, granting them the status of displaced persons and including them in the relief package.
The jirga warned that the law and order situation in Upper Bara and Bara plains had become alarming and needed to be brought under urgent control.
The alliance announced the launch of a peace movement in Bara from today to help restore security and provide a safe environment for the public.
He also urged the provincial government to fulfill its constitutional duty by eliminating kidnapping for ransom, threats of extortion and fear among citizens.
Reaffirming its commitment, the Bara Political Alliance said it would continue to stand with the Tirah IDPs on all platforms and persist in its struggle until their rights are fully guaranteed.
Earlier, speakers at the jirga had castigated the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government for “incompetence, mismanagement and corruption” in the relief efforts.
They vehemently denounced the provincial government for its allegations of political interference and corruption in the distribution of the Rs4 billion compensation to the affected families, terming the process flawed and unfair.
While paying tribute to the security forces for their role in maintaining peace, participants in the jirga accused the government of failing to ensure effective governance.
The agenda of the jirga was presented by the president of the alliance, Haji Shireen Afridi, who also announced his full solidarity, sympathy and support to all the displaced families of Tirah.
The alliance demanded that the provincial government ensure comprehensive care, protection and arrangements for all displaced people.
Former President Haji Shireen Afridi said the alliance held two jirgas with the Khawarij, after which responsibility was transferred to the provincial government and Tirah tribal elders, but both efforts failed.
Other leaders of the Bara Political Alliance said the suffering of the Tirah IDPs was not limited to a single tribe or region, but had become a collective national problem that could no longer be ignored.
Ministers
Information Minister Ataullah Tarar and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry termed the Khyber National Jirga as an “indictment” against the KP government, alleging poor governance and calling on provincial authorities to apologize for what he described as constructing a false narrative.
Speaking to a private TV channel, Tarar said the jirga had not only demanded restoration of peace but also leveled serious allegations against the KP government. He added that the jirga concluded that provincial authorities were guilty of mismanagement and corruption and had failed to meet the needs of the people.
Speaking to a private television channel, Talal Chaudhry said the jirga’s findings left “no room” for the version presented by the KP government. He said it was established that decisions regarding Tirah were taken by local residents after assessing ground realities, and that they left the area under an agreement reached between the people of Tirah and the provincial government.
“These people (the jirga) explained very clearly all the things that the federal government was trying, in one way or another, to convey to the public,” he said.
Thousands of people flee
Tens of thousands of people have fled a remote mountainous region in recent weeks, residents said, after warnings broadcast from mosques urged families to evacuate in anticipation of possible military action against terrorists.
Residents of the Tirah Valley said they had left the area for nearby towns despite heavy snowfall and cold winter temperatures, due to announcements to avoid possible fighting.
“Announcements were made in the mosque that everyone had to leave, so everyone was leaving. We left too,” said Gul Afridi, a trader who fled with his family to the town of Bara located 71 km east of the Tirah Valley.
Local officials in the area, who asked not to be named, said thousands of families had fled and were being registered for help in nearby towns.
The government has not announced any evacuations or planned military operations. On Tuesday, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif denied that an operation was planned or underway in Tirah, calling the movement a routine seasonal migration triggered by harsh winter conditions.
However, a military source familiar with the matter said the relocation followed months of consultations involving tribal elders, district officials and security authorities over the presence of terrorists in Tirah, who they said were operating among civilian populations and putting pressure on residents.
The source asked to remain anonymous because they are not authorized to speak to the media. The source said civilians were encouraged to leave temporarily to reduce the risk of damage while “targeted intelligence-based operations” continued, adding that there had been no preparation for a large-scale offensive due to the region’s mountainous terrain and winter conditions.
The Inter-Services Public Relations, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government did not respond to requests for comments made on Friday.
Not the cold
Residents rejected suggestions that winter alone motivated the movement. “No one left because of the cold,” said Abdur Rahim, who said he left his village for Bara earlier this month after hearing evacuation announcements. “It’s been snowing for years. We’ve lived there all our lives. People left because of the announcements.”
Gul Afridi described a perilous journey on snow-covered roads as well as food shortages that made evacuation an ordeal that took his family nearly a week. “Here I have no home, no support for my belongings. I don’t know what is destined for us,” he said at a public school in Bara where hundreds of displaced people were queuing to register for help, complaining of slow processes and uncertainty over how long their displacement would last.
Abdul Azeem, another displaced resident, said families were left stranded for days and children died along the way. “There were a lot of difficulties. People were stranded because of the snow,” he explained.
With additional input from Reuters
