In blow to Kurram peace efforts, DC, six others injured in gun attack

PARACHINAR/ KOHAT/ PESHAWAR: The efforts to bring peace to troubled Kurram suffered a jolt on Saturday as Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud and six other people were injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a team of the district administration inspecting the security arrangements for a convoy destined for Parachinar in upper part of the district.

The firing incident took place at Bagan area in Lower Kurram district where a convoy was attacked on November 21 and in retaliation several people were killed when armed men stormed the village two days later.

The injured deputy commissioner was rushed to a hospital in Alizai and later taken to Peshawar for treatment.

Reports said that the incident occurred at approximately 10:35am, when a group of 40 to 50 armed miscreants opened fire on the convoy, which included government vehicles.

The first of many convoys, which was set to transport medicines and food to Kurram, was part of a peace agreement. Prior to the convoy’s departure, a negotiation team had been in talks to open the road to allow the passage of goods.

The roads leading to Parachinar had been closed over the last three months, which had created shortage of food, medicines and fuel in the town and other surrounding areas in the Kurram district. The provincial government had recently managed to reach a 14-point agreement between the warring tribes to restore peace and bring normality to the troubled Kurram. The government officials, tribal elders from both sides and other stakeholders were engaged in weeks long talks in Kohat district to reach a settlement to end the violence.

Adviser to Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said the injured deputy commissioner was airlifted to a hospital in Peshawar.

Saif said that the deputy commissioner was airlifted from Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Thal to Peshawar via a helicopter after undergoing surgery. “A security guard, who was injured in the attack, was also brought to Peshawar by helicopter,” he added. He said the deputy commissioner’s condition was stable and out of danger.

Saif added that medical teams at Alizai and Thal provided initial and necessary surgical interventions. “Further advanced medical care will be provided at CMH Peshawar to ensure complete recovery,” he said.

The firing incident, which targeted the district administration team overseeing security arrangements for an aid convoy in Kurram, raised concerns about the security situation. Following the incident, the much-anticipated aid convoy, scheduled to travel to Kurram, was temporarily halted.

The convoy, comprising 80 vehicles, was set to deliver essential supplies to over 100 villages in Parachinar, Boshera, and other areas of Kurram. The aid included five trucks of medicines, 10 trucks of vegetables, nine trucks of cooking oil and ghee, five trucks of flour, seven trucks of sugar and two trucks of gas cylinders.

Around 26 trucks carrying tents, mats, tarpaulins, protective medical kits, blankets, mattresses, solar lamps and sleeping bags were also a part of the convoy.

The residents of Kurram, who have endured more than two and a half months of unrest, are facing severe shortages of food, medicine, fuel and other basic necessities due to road closures and ongoing instability. Businesses, hotels, and transportation services remain shut in the region.

The district administration said that the situation was being assessed, and a decision regarding the convoy’s departure would be made after ensuring security. The aid is eagerly awaited by the residents, who hope it will bring much-needed relief and alleviate their hardships.

Despite the recent peace agreement, the district has struggled to return to normalcy. Authorities are under increasing pressure to restore order and ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid.

Earlier, the first convoy comprising 75 large vehicles carrying essential goods and food items was dispatched to Kurram under tight security following the recent peace agreement. On the special instructions of Gandapur, Barrister Saif was present at the Kurram border area in Chapri, along with the Kohat Commissioner, DIG, district administration, and other police officials, to oversee the dispatch.

Meanwhile, security and government officials have expressed serious concern over the incident, stating that the incident not only violates the peace agreement but has also further exacerbated the already existing humanitarian crisis in the region. The government and security sources have made it clear that any further acts of violence will be met with full force. The people of Kurram must now stand together, not just for their safety but for the future stability of their region.

A security official stated that despite the peace committees’ assurances that such violence would not occur, this attack raises critical questions about how such a despicable act was allowed to happen. The local population must hold the peace committee leaders accountable and question how they failed to ensure the promised security. The area’s people need to demand answers and clarity from the local leaders who provided these guarantees.

“Prominent local figures such as MPA Malik Riaz Shaheen, Malik Ghani, Dr Qadir, Haji Karim, Malik Saifullah and Haji Sharif had pledged to ensure peace in the area,” the government official said.

The official further emphasized that this tragic event serves as a stark reminder that extremist elements are the biggest obstacle to peace in the region. If the people fail to unite against these forces, they will bear the consequences. Now more than ever, it is essential for the community to recognise and confront the enemies of peace within their midst.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the firing on the convoy of government vehicles in Kurram.

In a statement, the president emphasized the need for strict action against those who seek to disrupt peace efforts in Kurram. He said the miscreants are enemies of the public and aim to spread chaos, urging the people not to allow these elements to succeed in their malicious designs.

The prime minister, in a separate statement, said the attempt has been made to sabotage the peace agreement. He said those trying to disrupt law and order and enemies of humanity will not be allowed to succeed in their designs, reaffirming government’s commitment to eradicate terrorism. He prayed for the recovery of the deputy commissioner and other injured individuals.

Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi condemned the attack on a convoy of government vehicles in Lower Kurram and termed it a conspiracy to sabotage peace in the province particularly in Kurram. In a statement, the governor condemned the incident and described it as an alarming act of violence. “This attack is highly concerning, especially on the main highway in Lower Kurram. It is a plot to sabotage the efforts of the peace jirga aimed at ensuring permanent peace in the region,” Kundi said. The governor prayed for the quick recovery of the deputy commissioner and other injured.

He said that such incidents threatened the hard-earned peace in Kurram and called for efforts by the local population and the government to ensure lasting stability in the area. “For lasting peace in Kurram, it is crucial that both the government and the local population play a cooperative role,” he added.

Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, in a statement, also condemned the firing incident. He sought a report from senior officials and directed them to take action against the perpetrators of the attack. He expressed well-wishes for the recovery of Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud, and others. He described the firing incident as deeply regrettable and condemnable, especially in light of the recent Kurram peace agreement.

Gandapur termed the attack a deliberate and malicious but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to undermine the government’s peace efforts in the region. He attributed the incident to elements opposed to the restoration of peace in Kurram, reiterating the provincial government’s commitment to ensuring stability and addressing the difficulties faced by the people of Kurram.

Gandapur said that the peace agreement between the parties involved demonstrated the desire of residents to ensure peace. However, he said that certain disruptive elements were attempting to sabotage peace efforts.

Meanwhile, taking serious notice of the firing incident in Kurram tribal district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Saturday vowed to take stern action against the violators of peace agreement.

Presiding over an emergency late night meeting of senior officials of the provincial government at the Chief Minister’s House, he said that no leniency would be shown to the terrorists and those assisting them would also face strict action.

Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan and other officials attended the meeting.

The meeting reviewed the situation following the firing incident in Bagan area in Kurram and it was determined that the people of the area responsible for violating the peace agreement would be made accountable.

It was decided that those involved in the firing incident would be brought to justice while first information report would be registered and all the accused would be immediately arrested.The participants pledged that the head money would be announced against the terrorists to eliminate them once and for all.The meeting also resolved that no leniency would be shown towards any terrorist, and those assisting them would also face strict action.