Apex committee meeting: Kurram to be cleared of weapons, bunkers by Feb 1

PESHAWAR: The Provincial Apex Committee on Friday finalised the strategy for restoring lasting peace to ensure peace in restive Kurram and decided to de-weaponize the tribal district and demolish all bunkers there by February 1 next year.

A detailed plan for de-weaponisation was to be submitted within 15 days by both the conflicting parties and all weapons must be handed over to civil administration and all bunkers demolished by that time.

The decisions were made at a meeting of the committee that took up the situation in the Kurram hit by lawlessness that has claimed several lives and displaced a large population in the latest round of armed conflict. Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur chaired the meeting.

In attendance were Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi, provincial cabinet members Aftab Alam, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Muzammil Aslam, Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan, Corps Commander Peshawar Lt-General Omer Ahmed Bukhari, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Muhammad Abid Majeed and other senior civil and military officials. The meeting began with a prayer and tributes to the martyrs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the security forces.

The forum reviewed the prevailing situation in Kurram district, and after extensive deliberations, a comprehensive strategy was finalized to address the ongoing issues in the area on a permanent basis.

It was decided in the meeting that both parties involved in the Kurram conflict would voluntarily surrender their weapons under a mutual agreement facilitated by the government.

The forum decided that road connectivity would be temporarily reopened at intervals, with strict security protocols in place, and joint security for convoys would be provided by police and Frontier Corps personnel.

Moreover, air service would also be started on an emergency basis to address the transportation issue of the general public for which helicopters would be provided by federal and provincial governments.

The forum urged both parties to avoid any violent act, otherwise, the administration will be left with no option but to close the road connectivity again.

Similarly, it was also decided to block all social media accounts spreading sectarian hatred in the region. The meeting also reviewed the prevailing law and order situation in Tirah in Khyber district and the Janikhel area in Bannu. It was decided that temporary evacuations could be carried out in some areas to purge the areas of miscreants and ensure the safety of residents. Local communities were urged to cooperate with the government in expelling miscreants from their areas.

The committee emphasised that the Kurram issue was not just a local but a national issue of a serious nature. It was stated that both the provincial and federal governments and other stakeholders were united in their approach to addressing the issue.

The forum dismissed the claims that deaths of children in the area occurred due to negligence and termed it as baseless. It was acknowledged that the provincial government has made all possible efforts to resolve the conflict peacefully through jirgas.

The forum expressed hope that both parties would cooperate with the government to ensure a lasting solution.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to uphold the writ of the government and use all available options to bring back normalcy to the area and mitigate the sufferings of the local population.