ISLAMABAD: The government in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province is making arrangements to facilitate people in safely traveling to a remote district where sectarian violence has killed more than 130 people in recent weeks, a government spokesperson said on Friday.
Kurram, a northwestern district of around 600,000 people in KP, has been rocked by tribal and sectarian clashes since Nov. 21 when gunmen attacked a convoy of Shia passengers, killing 52.
The attack sparked further violence and road closures in the district and its capital Parachinar, restricting access to medicine, food and fuel in the area as casualties surged to 136.
A grand jirga, or council of political and tribal elders formed by the KP government, on Wednesday brokered a peace agreement between the warring Shia and Sunni tribes after weeks of efforts.
“Travel and security arrangements are being made for the convoy [of passengers] leaving on Saturday,” Muhammad Ali Saif, who speaks for the KP government, said in a statement.
The clashes had resulted in the closure of the only road connecting Parachinar with the provincial capital of Peshawar. Local media reported that the convoy would leave on Saturday amid stringent security by police and Frontier Constabulary (FC).
Under the peace agreement, both sides have agreed on the demolition of bunkers and the handover of heavy weapons to the authorities.
“Both sides will give a coordinated plan of action within 15 days for the collection of weapons,” Saif said. “The bunkers already existing in the area will be dismantled within a month.”
After the demolition of bunkers, according to the official, any party that launches an attack will be considered a “terrorist” and action will be taken against it.
Another point of the peace agreement said that a fine of Rs10 million ($35,933) would be imposed on those who violate the terms of the deal by using weapons against each other. It said that families who had been displaced due to the clashes in recent weeks would be rehabilitated.
Land disputes in the volatile district would be settled on a priority basis with the cooperation of local tribes and the district administration, according to the peace agreement. Opening of banned outfits’ offices would be prohibited in the district, while social media accounts spreading hate would be discouraged via collective efforts backed by the government.
Pakistan province makes arrangements for safe travel to violence-hit Kurram district
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Pakistan province makes arrangements for safe travel to violence-hit Kurram district
- More than 130 people have died in the remote district since Nov. 21 in clashes over land, sectarian disputes
- On Wednesday, a council of tribal elders brokered a peace deal between warring tribes after weeks of efforts
Pakistan alleges India behind Balochistan attacks that killed 18 civilians, 15 troops
- Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accuses India of planning coordinated attacks across Balochistan this week
- Military says it killed 133 militants on Friday and Saturday in separate operations across various areas in Balochistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi this week alleged that India was behind the recent coordinated attacks in the southwestern Balochistan province that the military says killed 18 civilians and 15 troops, vowing to go after those responsible for the violence.
Pakistan’s military said on Saturday that it had killed 133 militants in the past two days in separate operations in Balochistan. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said 41 militants were killed in operations in Panjgur and Harnai areas on Friday while 92 militants, including three suicide bombers, were killed on Saturday as security forces repelled coordinated attacks on civilians and law enforcement personnel in Quetta, Gwadar, Mastung, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Tump and Pasni areas.
It added that 18 civilians, including women, children, elderly people and laborers, were killed in the attacks in Gwadar and Kharan, while 15 security personnel were also killed during clearance operations and armed standoffs.
“India is behind these attacks,” Naqvi said during a joint press conference in Quetta late Saturday night with Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti. “I can tell you for sure that India planned these attacks along with these terrorists.”
He vowed that Islamabad would go after the militants who carried out these attacks and their “masters.”
“At this time it is very necessary that the world knows that the main country that is behind terrorism is India, who not only financially supports terrorists but also supports them in their planning and strategy as well,” the minister said.
In its statement on Saturday, the ISPR said the attacks were launched by “Indian sponsored Fitna al Hindustan,” a reference the military frequently uses for the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militant group.
The BLA also issued a statement on Saturday, saying it had launched what it called “Operation Herof 2.0,” claiming responsibility for attacks in multiple locations across Balochistan.
The military had said intelligence reports have confirmed the attacks were orchestrated and directed by militant leaders operating from outside Pakistan who were in direct communication with attackers during the assaults.
Pakistan has frequently blamed India for supporting militant attacks in Balochistan and its northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces, charges that New Delhi has vehemently denied.
Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has faced a decades-long insurgency by separatist militant groups, with Pakistani authorities frequently accusing foreign actors of backing the violence. India has repeatedly denied such allegations.
