According to the district commissioner, the process of demolition of bunkers in Lower Kurram is scheduled to begin today as per the recent peace agreement.
On December 20, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa high committee decided to dismantle all bunkers in Kurram district in a bid to restore peace in the area, where weeks-long deadly tribal clashes have resulted in law and order situation.
Clashes stemming from decades of land disputes have claimed at least 130 lives since November, and shortages of food and medicine have been reported due to weeks-long road blockades.
After months of violence, a peace agreement was signed between the warring parties on January 1. Despite a lull in fighting, the road connecting Parachinar to the rest of the province remained blocked.
However, on January 4, a government convoy was attacked near Bagan area, in which Kurram deputy commissioner was also injured. Since then, the convoy has been stranded.
On January 8, a convoy of 40 vehicles carrying food and other necessities was sent to Kurram district after being detained in Thall for five days.
On Saturday, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi called for urgent intervention by the federal government and the armed forces to restore stability, attributing the current unrest in the area to the “failure” of the PTI-led government, which, according to He had contributed to the escalation of the crisis.
“There are bunkers and sophisticated weapons that our police cannot handle or combat. The peace agreement has not yielded significant results because those working to resolve the problems lack government support. Without that support, peace cannot be achieved,” he stated.
Kurram District Commissioner Ashfaq Khan on Saturday sent a letter to the respective Communication and Works Department of Upper Kurram and Lower/Central Kurram.
He said the government has scheduled demolition of bunkers in Balish Khel and Khar Kali areas of Lower Kurram, “for which personnel along with necessary tools from their respective department will be required to complete the process smoothly and efficiently.” .
“Keeping the above in mind, you are directed to ensure your personal presence at the identified locations along with 10 workers in each of your respective offices along with necessary tools,” the letter said.
The DC said the demolition was scheduled for 12 noon today (Sunday). He noted that, according to the peace agreement, the bunkers will be demolished before February 1 and weapons used in tribal clashes will be collected.
Another 12 trucks carrying relief goods arrived in Kurram district on Saturday from Thall, Deputy Commissioner Mannan Khan said. Seven trucks had reached Tari Mangal, four at Boshra and one at Ghozgarhy.
According to Dr Syed Mir Hassan Khan, medical superintendent of Parachinar district central hospital, medical warehouses had run out of medicines and 2,300 to 2,500 people were coming to the DHQ hospital every day.
The president of the medical unions, Iqbal Hussain, said that the necessary medicines are not available in the area and that none of the aid convoys that had arrived in recent days carried medicines.
