Army, FC called in as conflict in Kurram's Parachinar intensifies

• Two more people killed amid clashes in Kurram. 
• Army called in under Article 245 of the Constitution, govt says. 
• Troops to remain deployed until area leaps back to normalcy.

As the conflict intensifies in the tribal district of Kurram, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the government imposed Section 144 in the region and called in the military and paramilitary troops to deal with the emergency going on there.

The death toll from the deadly conflict rose as two more persons were reportedly killed amid as clashes between the tribes in different areas of the Kurram district continued for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday, The News reported. Meanwhile, 25 others sustained injuries in the volatile district.

“To normalise the situation, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has requisitioned additional troops of army and FC in aid of civil power under Article 245 of the Constitution of Pakistan," a press note issued by the government said.

The authorities said that no effort was being spared to resolve the longstanding land disputes in Kurram and normalise the situation there.

Meanwhile, the Home Department said that the army and FC troops will remain deployed until the area leaps back to normalcy.

There are eight different land disputes going on in the central, lower and upper areas of the Kurram district, most of which date back to pre-independence times.

Recently, on July 7, 2023, an exchange of fire took place between the inhabitants of Dandar Sehra and Boshehra over construction on disputed Shamlat [shared land] at Dandar Sehra, upper Kurram, wherein regrettably, seven individuals were killed and 37 injured.

Immediately after the clash, the district administration, with the support of police and law-enforcement agencies (LEAs), engaged prominent elders for a ceasefire and started negotiations with both parties.

“The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, through the Board of Revenue, has notified a high-level revenue commission at the provincial level for settlement of measured or unmeasured land in Kurram district to resolve the matter once and for all.

“The land commission along with elders of the area visited Kurram twice on 6th and 20th of June 2023 and a third visit is planned this week.

“Several reports have been received that some miscreants are giving it the colour of a sectarian clash and propagating false news on social media.

“A strict monitoring of social media is in place and all such miscreants will be dealt with severely," the Home Department said.