Kurram crisis: Kohat jirga to resume today amid stalemate over weapons surrender

• Peace talks being facilitated by Pakistan Army.
• Over 130 people have been killed since November.
• KP govt stresses surrender of arms for roads' opening.
  

KOHAT/PARACHINAR: The Grand Peace Jirga is scheduled to resume today at 11am after being postponed the previous day due to a deadlock between the warring groups over the surrender of heavy weapons, The News reported on Saturday.

The negotiations, supervised by GOC 9 Division Major General Zulfiqar Bhatti, have been ongoing for two months at Kohat Fort.

Kohat Commissioner Mutasim Billah Shah, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abbas Majeed Marwat, and the deputy commissioners of Kohat, Hangu, and Kurram are also participating in the jirga.

The violence-stricken Kurram district has witnessed a surge in tribal clashes, resulting in over 130 fatalities since November, when the conflict between two tribal groups escalated. 

The issue remains unresolved despite multiple truces announced during the past one year as elders from both sides strive to negotiate a lasting peace agreement.

Reports indicate that over 100 children are feared dead due to a severe medicine shortage, though Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif has denied these claims. 

The recent clashes have sparked a humanitarian crisis, with medicine and oxygen supplies running low, exacerbated by the closure of the main highway connecting Parachinar to Peshawar.

In addition to a nine-day-long sit-in at the Parachinar Press Club, road closures in the district have triggered protests in Karachi, which have now entered their third day today. 

Demonstrations by the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) continue at over 10 locations across the port city, causing major traffic disruptions and significant inconvenience for commuters.

Amid efforts to restore peace, the KP government has declared Kurram district "disaster-hit." Authorities have airlifted medical supplies to the area and evacuated people in critical need. 

KP Health Adviser Ihtisham Ali stated that medicines were being consistently supplied to health centres in Kurram and that over 16,000 patients had received treatment at Parachinar DHQ since December 13. He assured that the supply of medicines would continue until road access is fully restored.

Peace negotiations, facilitated by the Pakistan Army, are underway, with a grand jirga involving tribal elders, including prominent figures like Pir Haider, Haji Noor Jaf, and Inayat Hussain Turi, convening to broker an agreement. 

However, a deadlock persists over the surrendering of weapons, a key issue delaying the reopening of roads. Barrister Saif, who is also the KP chief minister's aide on information, said that progress had been made, and tribal elders have reportedly signed the agreement, with the remaining signatures expected today.

The jirga’s final decision is anticipated to be announced at the Kohat commissioner’s office, with the Kohat-Parachinar Road likely to be declared safe for travellers once the agreement is formalised.

Renowned religious scholar Allama Syed Shahenshah Hussain Naqvi is expected to arrive in Kohat from Karachi. He plans to visit the Kacha Pakka camp to meet with affected individuals from Kurram and participate in the ongoing peace talks, adding his voice to the efforts for reconciliation.