- Govt to issue legal firearm licences for personal safety, says Saif.
- Bunkers in Kurram being demolished as part of peace agreement.
- Jirga members say both parties willing to maintain lasting peace.
Under the Kurram peace agreement, the parties involved in the months-long conflict have submitted a plan to surrender their weapons to the government, said Adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information Barrister Saif on Wednesday.
Barrister Saif, while speaking to Geo News, said that the conflicting tribes would hand over heavy weapons to the authorities, while the government would issue legal firearm licences to the willing citizens for personal protection. He also confirmed that the demolition of bunkers in Kurram was ongoing, with all such structures to be dismantled under the peace pact.
The peace agreement between the warring tribes of Kurram was reached last month, bringing an end to a prolonged period of violence and tribal clashes in the restive region, which had plunged the entire district into crisis. Nearly 140 people were killed in clashes that erupted in November 2024.
Prolonged road closures and the complete suspension of movement to and from Kurram due to the unrest had cut the district off from the outside world, leading to a severe shortage of food and medicine, which reportedly resulted in additional deaths.
The conflicting parties finally agreed to a ceasefire under a government- and military-brokered peace pact, which mandates the surrender of all weapons and the removal of bunkers in accordance with the KP Apex Committee’s orders.
Sources revealed that the district administration, police, and law enforcement personnel were assisting in the weapon handover process.
One of the members of the Jirga, Munir Bangash, told Geo News that the government would ensure the residents’ safety once weapons were surrendered. He also mentioned that all parties were committed to establishing lasting peace in Kurram.
Another Jirga member, Irshad Hussain Bangash, noted that both sides were showing flexibility to maintain peace in the region. He further said that the public would soon receive good news regarding the reopening of the Tall-Parachinar Road, which has blocked all trade into the region.
Meanwhile, the demolition of bunkers continues in Kurram, with efforts now extending to Upper Kurram. According to the district administration, so far, two bunkers have been demolished in the areas, Pewar and Gido, while 28 have been removed in Lower Kurram.
Official sources estimate that there are over 250 bunkers in Kurram, with 30 already dismantled.
Additionally, convoys carrying food and essential supplies continue to be dispatched to Kurram, ensuring the availability of necessary goods in the region.
