Kurram grand jirga: rival parties sign peace agreement

By Tahir Khan

KOHAT/ISLAMABAD: The three-week-long grand jirga on the Kurram crisis concluded in Kohat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday with the two sides finally signing a peace agreement.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Adviser on Information Barrister Ali Saif confirmed that the rival parties have signed the peace agreement during the grand jirga.

In a statement posted to his official X account, he said that by signing the agreement, both sides have agreed on the demolition of bunkers and the handover of heavy weapons. The convoys will depart on land routes on Saturday, he added.

Congratulating the people of Kurram on signing of the peace agreement, Barrister Saif expressed optimism that the agreement will usher in a new era of peace and prosperity in the crisis-hit district. “With the signing of the peace agreement, normalcy will soon be fully restored in Kurram.”

The grand jirga resumed on Tuesday after the two-day break. The jirga continued for five weeks and the participants struck the deal after hectic discussions. The seven-page Kurram peace agreement — signed by 45 members from both sides during the grand jirga — features as many as 14 key points:

It was noted in preamble of the document that despite several mutual agreements between the parties, various types of clashes and incidents have been taking place in Kurram district due to non-compliance of these agreements.

The document stated that the Kurram Peace Committee and rival parties will be bound to uphold Murree Agreement 2008, including all previous regional and collective agreements, property documents, decisions, precedents and tribal traditions, for the greater interests of the people of Kurram district and to maintain peace in the area.

The agreement called upon the government to take strictest action against persons attempting to block the main road leading to Kurram. “In case of any untoward incident on the road, the people of the area will prove their innocence according to the local custom and law…If any person shelters a miscreant or help him in lodging and food, they will be get the treatment of a miscreant.”

Three members of the jirga said both sides will hand over weapons to the local authorities, all roads would be opened and bunkers removed.

Jirga members Laeq Orakzai, Syed Raza Hussain and Wasi Sayed Mian told the media in Kohat that the 14-point agreement was signed by 45 members each from both sides in the presence of officials

The agreement says that steps would be taken to ensure security of the roads.

The main road between Parachina, the main city in Kurram, and Peshawar remained closed for 80 days. The Pak-Afghan border at Kharlachi also remained closed for trade and pedestrians.

The current conflict started following attacks on passenger vehicles

The members noted that small and heavy weapons were used in the recent violent incidents that caused human losses, mostly passengers.

The jirga decided that there would be a complete ban on exhibition and use of weapons. A complete ban on donation collection for buying arms

Under the agreement, weapons would be handed over within 15 days under a well-coordinated mechanism, according to the agreement.

Similarly, no side will take action against the other after the agreement. In case of violation, the govt, will take action against the violator with the help of the peace committee.

Their weapons would be confiscated on the recommendation of the govt, security institutions and grand Jirga. A Rs10 million penalty would also be imposed on the relevant villages under the tribal traditions.

No side will give a religious color to the fight of individuals. All banned groups would not be allowed to operate or open offices. There would be no hurdles on the roads, the agreement reads.

According to the agreement, all sides would protect the people if they seek shelter and they would be given security. Dead bodies would not be insulted.

“Miscreants would be punished under the law who use social media to spread hate. Miscreants would be considered as enemies by both sides,” the agreement says.

“If any incident happens in any area, the local peace committees would immediately act and the other side would not show any reaction.”

District police and security forces would arrest those who destroy peace and are involved in terrorism.

There would be a ban on construction of bunkers.

The conflict over the past two-and-half months has taken the lives of about 200 people, according to officials and hospital sources.

The problem started when gunmen fired at passenger vehicles on Oct 12, which led to violent incidents in parts of the district. In an apparent revenge attack on a motorcade killed over 50 in November.

Meanwhile, two more children died on Wednesday due to non-availability of medicines, taking the death toll of children to 132, health officials in Parachinar said.

A total of 206 people have lost lives in firing incidents and non-availability of medicines, according to officials.