Two warring tribes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district have reached an eight-month peace agreement as part of ongoing efforts to restore stability in the region.
Jirga member Haji Kamal confirmed the accord, stating that it was finalized in the presence of Kurram Deputy Commissioner Ashfaq Ahmed and other officials. The agreement was reached following negotiations involving tribal elders, district authorities, and key stakeholders.
Deputy Commissioner Ashfaq Ahmed welcomed the truce, calling it a significant relief for residents ahead of Eid ul-Fitr. Meanwhile, jirga member Haji Asghar noted that a plan is being developed to reopen roads that have remained blocked due to prolonged tensions.
Background of the Conflict
Kurram, a district of over 600,000 people near the Afghanistan border, has long experienced sectarian violence. In recent months, clashes have intensified, with conflicts since July resulting in over 200 deaths.
The ongoing strife has triggered a humanitarian crisis, leading to severe shortages of essential supplies, including medicine and oxygen. The prolonged closure of the main highway linking Parachinar to Peshawar has exacerbated the situation. Reports indicate that more than 100 children may have died due to medical shortages, though provincial authorities have denied these claims.
Mediation and Prior Peace Efforts
A grand peace jirga convened at Kohat Fort in January 2025 led to a 14-point peace agreement aimed at restoring order. However, the agreement faced a major setback when Assistant Commissioner Saeed Manan and two others were injured in a firing incident while attempting to mediate fresh clashes in February.
Following sustained efforts by security forces, peace was gradually restored, and essential supplies began reaching Kurram, which had been cut off from the rest of the country for months. Last month, multiple tribal bunkers in upper and lower Kurram were demolished as part of the peace process.
Crackdown on Militants
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has announced bounties ranging from Rs3 million to Rs30 million for 14 militants accused of orchestrating the recent violence in Kurram. The CTD stated that the suspects, linked to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), were responsible for the deaths of over 200 people.
