Firing on convoy: Section 144 imposed in Kurram, FIR registered

PESHAWAR/PARCHAR/KOHAT: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Sunday imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Kurram district a day after the firing incident that left six people, including the deputy commissioner, inured in the restive tribal district.

“In view of the prevailing law and order situation in District Kurram following the recent terrorist attacks, the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898,” said an official communique.

The order, issued by the Home and Tribal Affairs Department, banned the gathering of more than five persons and prohibited the display of weapons across the district.

The decision comes in light of credible reports indicating that certain disgruntled groups, under the guise of militants, may attempt to exploit the situation and disrupt public peace and tranquility.

The ban was aimed at preventing further deterioration of the security environment and safeguarding the lives and property of the residents, officials and law enforcement personnel in the area.

The official communiqué said that violators of the order would face strict legal action under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The restrictions taking effect immediately will remain in place for two months unless modified or withdrawn earlier, it added.

Also, the police in Kurram registered the first information report (FIR) against five identified and several unidentified attackers following the firing incident in Bagan area of Lower Kurram.

The firing had left Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud and six others injured.

According to the police, cases were filed under multiple sections of the PPC, including 324, 353, 427, 148, and 149, as well as Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The FIR named five suspects, including Kazim, son of Gul, Warikhmin, son of Mohammad Khami, Haji (father name unknown), Qadir Khan, and Rehman, son of Zameen Khan, all residents of Bagan. The FIR mentioned that 25 to 30 unidentified armed individuals opened indiscriminate fire with the intent to kill. A source informed that two suspects believed to be involved in the attack on the DC were rounded up following the crackdown who have been shifted to an unknown place for interrogation.

The incident left Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud, his bodyguard Masal Khan, and Frontier Corps personnel Rahimullah, Rizwan, and Nazar Baz injured. The attackers also damaged a vehicle belonging to the Wing Commander, FC.

According to hospital sources, Javedullah Mehsud was undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital in Peshawar, where his condition was being monitored. The FIR described the attack as an act of terrorism aimed at disrupting peace and stability in Kurram.

The law enforcement agencies intensified efforts to apprehend the suspects and ensure the safety of the area.

Meanwhile, Ashfaq Khan was deputed as the new Deputy Commissioner of Kurram, replacing Javedullah Mehsud, who was injured in the firing incident in Bagan on Saturday, said an official notification.

In another development, Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry and Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Gandapur held a meeting in Kohat to oversee the investigation into the firing. A meeting was held at the Police Club Kohat to devise a strategy for registering cases and arresting those involved in the attack.

Senior civil and military officials from Kohat, Hangu and Kurram districts attended the meeting.

The officials reviewed the FIR filed against the suspects and deliberated on steps to expedite the apprehension of terrorists responsible for the attack.

The high-level meeting took the following decisions: Elders who signed the Kurram peace agreement will be held accountable for ensuring its implementation.

All culprits involved in the January 4 attack, as well as those who encouraged it, will be named in the FIR. They will face anti-terrorism cases, legal proceedings, and arrests, and they will also be added to Schedule IV.

The elders who inked the peace agreement were instructed to hand over the culprits and their facilitators involved in the January 4 attack. If they fail to comply, direct action will be initiated to arrest the culprits; strict administrative measures will be implemented on the Thall-Parachinar Road and Torawarai-Shasho Road; all compensation and aid in the affected area will be halted until the culprits are handed over; disciplinary action will be taken against the government employees found supporting sectarian unrest.

If the law & order situation was not maintained, miscreants and those disrupting peace would be dealt with firmly. The transportation of goods convoys will resume promptly. Section 144 will be imposed in Kurram district, and a curfew will be enforced on roads during the movement of convoys. Any person found carrying weapons will be considered a terrorist.

In case of further violations or lack of cooperation in handing over the culprits, the population at the incident site may be temporarily relocated to facilitate a clearance operation. Rewards will be announced for information leading to the arrest of various fugitives.

The DPO of Kurram will be provided with anti-riot equipment, lady police personnel and necessary resources. The police will remove any illegal blockades or gatherings on the Thall-Parachinar Road. Adequate police personnel will be deployed for the security of Thall-Parachinar Road. Additional law enforcement agencies, including the Frontier Corps, will be deployed as needed to assist.

Following the meeting, the officers also held discussions with GOC 9th Division, Major-Gen Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, to ensure coordinated efforts for maintaining law and order in the region.

In Peshawar, talking to Geo News, Adviser to Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif downplayed the severity of the firing incident in Kurram and said this would not dampen the government’s resolve for peace. “The incident in Kurram is not a setback as it is being perceived,” he remarked.

He said that as soon as security clearance was provided, a convoy carrying essential relief goods, currently stationed in Thall, would proceed to its destination.

Terming the recent peace agreement a major development, he blamed miscreants for attempting to spread chaos. “This act by anti-peace elements is aimed at creating unrest, but it has not shaken our determination,” he added.

Speaking about the incident, Barrister Saif explained that residents of Bagan were staging a sit-in to press their demands when the deputy commissioner was on his way to the area. “Some people intercepted the DC’s convoy and opened fire, injuring the DC and his three guards,” he said.

According to Saif, two of the injured guards were being treated in Sadda, while one was receiving care alongside the DC at CMH Peshawar.

“The DC has undergone surgery, and we pray for his swift recovery,” he added.

Barrister Saif said that the culprits behind this act would be brought to justice. “The miscreants involved will face such a punishment that will serve as a lesson for others,” he vowed.

In Parachinar, the people continued to protest against the shortage of goods, including food and medicines, due to the closure of roads leading to Kurram.

The convoy of trucks carrying essential supplies remained stranded for a second consecutive day following the firing incident in the Bagan area of Lower Kurram.

The months-long blockade of roads has left residents of Parachinar and surrounding areas in dire need of essential supplies.

The firing incident occurred when Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Masood, accompanied by Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, attempted to clear a route in Bagan after a peace agreement was reached. In the aftermath of the firing incident, the convoy of trucks loaded with essential goods, en route to Parachinar, was redirected from the Chappari checkpoint and halted in the Thall area.

For the second day, the convoy has been unable to proceed, further exacerbating the hardships faced by residents, who have been cut off for three months due to the road closures.

Meanwhile, Khateeb of Jamia Mosque announced the postponement of the sit-in outside the Press Club. “If our demands are not met, the sit-in will be resumed,” said Allama Fida Mazahiri, Khateeb of Jamia Mosque, Parachinar.

He said the decision to postpone the sit-in was made jointly after discussions with the sit-in committee. The decision to postpone the sit-in was taken in the larger national interest,” said Agha Mazamil Hussain, Chairman of Upper Kurram Tehsil.