One party seeks two-day time before final deal on Kurram dispute: Barrister Saif

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Adviser Barrister Saif has said that the Jirga continued till late into the night in an effort to resolve the Kurram dispute.

He said that a general consensus been reached between the two rival parties, however, one party has sought two days for consultation only on a specific few points.

In a statement issued, Barrister Saif said that the Jirga to resolve the Kurram dispute continued till late into the night in Kohat.

He said that the Ahle Sunnat representatives have asked for two days’ time to consult their elders and the public for consultation before finalising a deal. The Jirga will resume on Tuesday after a two-day break, he said.

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He said that consensus has been reached on all major points in the Jirga, and the agreement will be signed after the consultation was complete.

Barrister Saif said that according to the decision of the apex committee, all bunkers and weapons will be eliminated.

According to him, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was committed to a permanent and sustainable solution to the more than a century old conflict.

Barrister Saif said that the entire administration, including Kohat commissioner, was sincerely making efforts to do away with the conflict and restore permanent peace in the region.

The Jirga, supervised by GOC 9 Division Major General Zulfiqar Bhatti, had been ongoing for two months at Kohat Fort.

Kohat Commissioner Mutasim Billah Shah, Deputy Inspector General Abbas Majeed Marwat and the deputy commissioners of Kohat, Hangu, and Kurram also attended the Jrga.

The region remains in turmoil as the main Parachinar-Peshawar highway, the Pak-Afghan border, and several key routes in Upper Kurram have been blocked for over two and a half months.

More than 100 villages in Parachinar and Upper Kurram are suffering severe shortages of food, medicine, fuel, and other essentials. The prolonged blockade has forced the closure of hotels and businesses for three weeks.