DI KHAN/PESHAWAR:
Law enforcement agencies launched an operation in Lower Kurram on Sunday after a high-level meeting of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government decided to take strict action against miscreants in the troubled district.
Peshawar officials said security forces would be present to help the police and civil administration in the operation against the miscreants. It was said that three localities in Kurram – Bagan, Mandori and Chapéri – would be cleaned during the operation.
Local people began moving to safer locations as authorities imposed a curfew in the Bagan area and mounted a search operation, days after a brutal attack on an aid convoy in which a certain number of people were kidnapped and six of them were subsequently killed.
Security forces receiving assistance from Kurram police surrounded four villages in Bagan and took up positions on the main highway. The operation is carried out at specific locations identified by intelligence agencies.
Armored vehicles and other vehicles are advancing, and security forces have taken control of bunkers established in the area. Residents were ordered to stay indoors and orders were given to shoot on sight any miscreants seen in the area.
Before the start of the operation, a high-level meeting was held in Peshawar on the Kurram situation which was attended by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government spokesperson, KP Chief Secretary, l Inspector General of Police (IGP) and other civil and police officers. .
The meeting decided to take strict action against the disbelievers without discrimination. A statement released after the meeting said the spokesperson reiterated the government’s determination to bring “cruel elements” to justice.
“Action against the miscreants in the affected areas has become inevitable. The peace agreement will be implemented in accordance with the law and Pashtun traditions,” he said.
Kurram has long been hit by decades-old sectarian clashes, which escalated into land disputes and claimed at least 140 lives since November 2024. However, on January 1, members of the warring tribes signed an agreement under the auspices of a tribal jirga.
As part of the peace deal, local residents pledged to hand over their weapons to the state in different phases within 15 days, while the dismantling of local bunkers must be completed by February 2025.
However, on January 4, a convoy of former Kurram Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud was attacked near the Bagan area, injuring the official and six members of his escort.
On January 13, the provincial government dismantled two of the hundreds of bunkers established by the two warring factions, but on January 16, unidentified gunmen launched a rocket attack on a convoy of 35 vehicles carrying fruits, vegetables , medicines and other essential items from Thall to the city. Bagan region.
The miscreant also kidnapped a number of people who were part of the convoy and a day later, the dead bodies of six of them were found in the Aravali area of Kurram with their hands and feet tied. The authorities then announced the launch of an operation.
According to the KP government spokesperson, security forces will be present to assist the police and civil administration in their action against the miscreants.
The government, he said, believes that some disbelievers have infiltrated among the peaceful population, and measures will be taken to separate the peaceful elements from the disbelievers.
“The best alternative accommodation arrangements have been made for the residents of the affected areas. The government requests both parties to the Kurram Peace Accord to assist the law enforcement agencies in identifying the miscreants among them .”
The spokesperson said that the KP government was trying to restore peace in Kurram amicably for the past three months. However, in a dastardly attempt, the miscreants attacked the Deputy Commissioner. Criminals also target security force personnel and humanitarian convoys.
The spokesperson urged the population to fully cooperate with security forces in the affected areas.
“The government will soon eliminate the miscreants from the affected areas and restore peace in the region. The government has tried its best to restore peace as per the peace agreement, the people of Kurram want peace and respect and respect the “peace agreement”, he added.
Meanwhile, the provincial government’s MI-17 helicopter made four flights to the Parachiner area of Kurram on Sunday, carrying a total of 133 people.
The first flight carried 3,000 kg of medicines along with four people to Parachinar. The second flight carried 44 people from Parachinar to Thall, while the third flight carried 34 people from Thall to Parachinar. The fourth and final flight carried 35 people from Parachinar to Peshawar.
“On special directives of the KP Chief Minister, various supplies to protect the people of Kurram from the cold weather were dispatched on Sunday. These included 500 tents, 1,000 mattresses, 1,000 blankets, 500 plastic mats, 500 tarpaulins, 100 search lights, 100 solar lights, and other essential items.
“The Chief Minister noted that the provincial government is well aware of the difficulties faced by the people of the area due to the closure of land routes to Kurram.
“He assured that the provincial government was using all available resources to minimize these difficulties. He further said that the helicopter service would continue until the situation in Kurram normalizes and land routes are restored” , indicates an official press release.
