PESHAWAR: Pakistani authorities with help from community leaders brokered a second ceasefire between warring minority Shiites and Sunni Muslims in a troubled northwestern region bordering Afghanistan following a deadly sectarian violence that left dozens of people dead, officials said Monday.
The violence in Kurram, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, erupted after gunmen attacked a convoy of vehicles carrying mostly Shiites, killing 52 people on Nov.21. Though nobody claimed the assault, some Shiites, after burying the victims, launched attacks on Sunni Muslims and clashes ensued, killing 78 people and wounding 200 others.
A ceasefire was reached on Nov. 24, but didn’t last long before violence flared up again. This time, authorities are hopeful it will hold.
Javed Ullah Mehsud, the deputy commissioner of Kurram, said tribal leaders helped negotiate the respite Sunday night and that police have been deployed to ensure peace in the area.
Shiite Muslims make up about 15 percent of the 240 million people in Sunni-majority Pakistan, which has a history of sectarian animosity between the communities.
Shiites dominate parts of the Kurram district. Though Shiites and Sunnis generally live in peace there, land disputes have led to sectarian violence in recent months.
Authorities broker second ceasefire between warring sects tribes in Pakistan’s northwest
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Authorities broker second ceasefire between warring sects tribes in Pakistan’s northwest
- The violence in Kurram district erupted after gunmen attacked a convoy of vehicles carrying mostly Shiites, killing 52 people on Nov.21
- Some Shiites, after burying the victims, launched attacks on Sunni Muslims and clashes ensued, killing 78 people and wounding 200 others
Kazakh president in Pakistan on two-day visit to discuss trade, connectivity, bilateral ties
- Pakistan, Kazakhstan share strong ties and strategic partnership, with Islamabad offering landlocked Central Asian republics access to key seaports
- The visit reflects mutual commitment to transforming historic affinities into robust cooperation, shared desire for peace and progress, Islamabad says
ISLAMABAD: Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Tuesday arrived in Pakistan on a two-day official visit to hold talks with the country’s leadership on trade, regional connectivity and bilateral cooperation, according to the Pakistani foreign ministry.
Tokayev is visiting Pakistan, along with a delegation comprising cabinet ministers and high-ranking officials, on the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to the Pakistani foreign ministry.
The visit reflects the strengthening bonds between Pakistan and Kazakhstan, their mutual commitment to transforming historic and cultural affinities into robust cooperation, and their common desire for peace and progress in the region.
Pakistan state television broadcaster footage of PM Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari welcoming President Tokayev upon arrival at Noor Khan Air Base in the Pakistani garrison city of Rawalpindi on Tuesday evening.
"The visit will provide the two sides an important and timely opportunity to undertake a comprehensive review of bilateral relations, discuss new avenues for broadening cooperation, particularly in trade, logistics, regional connectivity, people-to-people contacts, and explore collaboration at regional and international forums," the Pakistani foreign ministry said.
Relations between Pakistan and Kazakhstan are rooted in shared Islamic heritage and a growing strategic partnership, with Pakistan offering landlocked Central Asian republics access to southern seaports for global trade. Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize Kazakhstan when it gained independence in December 1991 and formally established diplomatic relations with it on Feb. 24, 1992.
The two countries have held regular interactions over the past couple of years on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meetings and other international events. Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister Murat Nurtleu visited Pakistan in September 2025 to discuss economic and trade cooperation with Islamabad.
Islamabad and Astana engage with each other to promote business and political ties via three forums mainly, which are: Bilateral Political Consultations, the Intergovernmental Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation, and the Joint Business Council.
According to the government of Kazakhstan, bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to $53.7 million in 2024. Pakistan's main exports to Kazakhstan include citrus fruits, pharmaceutical products, garments, soap, sports equipment and gear and others.
Kazakhstan’s exports to Pakistan primarily include onions and garlic, dried leguminous vegetables, oats, buckwheat and other cereal grains, seeds and fruits of other oil-bearing crops, among others.
