THE volatile situation in KP’s Kurram tribal district appears to have been defused as the parties to this tribal-cum-sectarian conflict signed a 14-point peace deal on Wednesday. While the area has a decades-old history of conflict, the present round of bloodletting was sparked after a convoy was attacked last November, resulting in at least 40 fatalities. In the subsequent cycle of violence, at least 130 people were killed; in three particularly gruesome cases, the victims were beheaded.

As a result of the hostilities, Parachinar — Kurram’s main town — was under de facto blockade, resulting in a critical humanitarian situation, with shortages of edibles and medicine reported. Particularly appalling were reports that a large number of babies died due to lack of treatment or medicine. Hopefully, with the signing of the latest accord, this cycle of bloodshed and suffering will come to an end, and Kurram’s people can live in peace.

At face value, the peace accord appears to cover all the key factors fuelling violence in the region. The pact calls for a ban on the display of arms while bunkers will also be destroyed. Moreover, land disputes — amongst the main irritants behind tribal tension — will be resolved, while safe passage will be assured on thoroughfares. While such peace agreements have been signed — and broken — in the past, it is sincerely hoped that this time all involved, particularly the tribes of Kurram as well as state institutions, will go the extra mile to ensure that the pact does not fail.

Too many precious lives have been lost in this conflict, while routine life in Kurram has been paralysed for weeks. Furthermore, as this paper has observed in these columns, the sectarian dimension of Kurram’s disputes has the potential to disrupt communal harmony in other parts of Pakistan. Sit-ins in solidarity with Kurram were held in other cities, particularly Karachi, and matters threatened to get out of hand when Shia demonstrators and the police came face to face at the main protest at Numaish. When the banned ASWJ entered the fray and announced to hold sit-ins of its own, there were palpable fears of sectarian clashes. Luckily, efforts to give the matter an ugly sectarian colour were averted, but only by a hair.

Returning to Kurram, it is the state’s responsibility to ensure that people of all sects can travel to and from the district without fear of violence. Moreover, militant and sectarian groups active in the area need to be neutralised, while effective conflict-resolution mechanisms need to be in place to deal with any emergent disputes. The past few months have been a nightmare for Kurram’s people. The state must ensure they do not have to live through such an ordeal again by making sure the peace pact is honoured in full.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2025