PESHAWAR: As a jirga continues making efforts for a long-term peace in the restive Kurram tribal district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has convened a meeting of the provincial apex committee today (Friday) to discuss the law and order issue.

The meeting, to be chaired by Mr Gandapur, will review the latest law and order situation in Kurram, the provincial government’s measures to restore peace, and other related matters, according to an official statement issued here on Thursday.

The participants will include senior civil and military leadership, relevant members of the provincial cabinet, and officials from the relevant divisional and district administrations.

The statement read that important decisions would be made during the meeting to ensure the provision of commodities and other essential items to the people of Kurram and establish peace in the region.

Govt insists forum will determine course of action for sustainable peace in district

“The forum will also determine a future course of action for achieving sustainable peace in the area through consultations with all relevant stakeholders.”

Click to see more

The official statement added that the meeting would be briefed on the progress made so far by the “grand jirga” formed by the provincial government to restore peace in the district.

The jirga has been holding talks with members from both warring tribes but a permanent peace deal is elusive.

The provincial government has already declared that the situation in Kurram will normalise only after the armed groups voluntarily surrendered heavy weapons and vacated the bunkers used to target each other.

The situation in Kurram turned violent on Nov 21 when a convoy of passenger vehicles came under attack which left over 130 people and many injured.

The attack, allegedly a reprisal for an earlier assault on October 12, triggered a wave of violence in the district.

Also, the tribal district, which borders Afghanistan, has long been plagued by sectarian tensions, often fueled by disputes over land ownership.

Click to see more

While the government-appointed land commission reportedly produced its findings, its report wasn’t made public due to “sectarian sensitivities.”

Another official statement declared that the chief minister had decided about the provision of wheat to Kurram residents at subsidised rates and directed the food department and district administration to take immediate steps in this regard.

It added that wheat would be supplied directly to the people at subsidised rates from the government warehouse in Kurram.

The last cabinet meeting decided that wheat would be supplied to flour mills. However, flour mills were unable to grind wheat due to the unavailability of fuel, according to the statement.

The Kurram district administration requested the provincial government to directly supply wheat to the residents instead of flour mills.

“The chief minister has decided about the provision of wheat directly to the citizens instead of the mills. Wheat will be supplied to the people at the subsidised rate of Rs2,800 per 40kg,” read the statement.

Meanwhile, the provincial government on Thursday continued to supply medicines to Kurram via a MI-17 helicopter.

Two consignments of medicines were delivered to Sadda area, according to a statement, which added that the 3,600kg shipment included emergency medicines and essential vaccines.

On Wednesday, the provincial government rejected a claim of the Kurram chemists and druggist association about 60 deaths from medicine shortages, and insisted medicine supply to the district had never been stopped or disrupted.

It added that it was ensuring the provision of uninterrupted medical assistance to residents.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2024