CM Gandapur blames ‘international powers' for fuelling violence in restive Kurram

• CM says land rows alone can't pit entire villages against each other.
• Reiterates commitment to resolving issues plaguing Kurram region.
• Says KP govt to spend Rs2bn on CCTV cameras to boost security.

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has said that hostile international powers are fuelling violence in the restive Kurram region in a bid to foment unrest across the country.

“Land disputes can occur anywhere, but the scale of the conflict in Kurram demands deeper attention,” the firebrand CM said on Wednesday, voicing fears that non-state actors were hell-bent on "using these sparks to set entire Pakistan on fire."

Kurram has been wracked by violence for decades, over 150 people have been killed in a fresh round of fighting which started in November last year when two separate convoys travelling under police protection were ambushed, leaving at least 40 people dead.

In the latest incident, a Kurram-bound convoy of trucks carrying food and supplies, escorted by security forces through the Lower Kurram tribal district, came under attack, leaving at least seven dead, The News reported on Tuesday. 

The deceased included five security personnel, a truck driver, and a passerby, according to official sources, who added that two armed attackers were also killed in the ensuing gun battle.

Over 20 individuals sustained injuries, including five security personnel and five drivers. The 64-truck convoy heading to Parachinar came under attack at multiple locations, including Mandori, Ochat, Charkhel, and Bagan.

The CM said that despite all the odds, the government was committed to addressing the longstanding issues in Kurram and assuring concrete measures to maintain peace in the region.

“Such [land-related] conflicts are common, but do entire villages rise up against each other?" he questioned, highlighting the gravity of the situation and suggesting that there was more to it than what meets the eye.

Implying the involvement of external forces in the tense district, the CM said that the kind of weaponry being supplied to and used by groups fighting in Kurram was a testament to such fears.

“The KP government is actively working to resolve the matter and has already allocated Rs2 billion for the installation of CCTV cameras to improve security,” the CM said adding, "We are also setting up security posts along key roads to prevent targeted attacks," he added.

Gandapur also vowed strict action against the miscreants, stating that there would be no leniency for elements trying to destabilise the region.

"A clear message has been sent — anyone spreading terror will not be spared and will face justice," he asserted.

He further said that head money had been placed on those fuelling unrest. "We will not back down from our responsibility to ensure lasting peace," Gandapur affirmed.

Prolonged road closures and the complete suspension of movement to and from Kurram due to the unrest had cut the district off from the outside world, leading to a severe shortage of food and medicine, which reportedly resulted in additional deaths.

The conflicting parties finally agreed to a ceasefire under a government and military-brokered peace pact, which mandates the surrender of all weapons and the removal of bunkers in accordance with the KP apex committee’s orders.

However, despite the peace agreement, there have been repeated attacks on convoys and vehicles, including a targeted attack on Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud and Assistant Commissioner Saeed Manan Boshehra.

Last month, terrorists ambushed a convoy of 35 vehicles set to resupply local traders in the restive territory with rice, flour, cooking oil and essential medicine, which claimed the lives of at least 8 people, including security personnel, drivers and civilians.