Kurram Tribes Agree to 8-Month Truce to Restore Peace

An 8-month peace agreement was reached on Saturday between warring factions in the Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a region long plagued by unrest.

The agreement was finalised in the presence of Kurram Deputy Commissioner Ashfaq Ahmed, along with other officials.

As reported, the agreement binds both parties to uphold the terms of the accord, adhering strictly to the previously established Kohat peace agreement.

Under the terms, any untoward incidents occurring on roads will be subject to legal action as per the Kohat agreement. All matters will be resolved through dialogue, and both sides have pledged full cooperation with the local administration to ensure the peace.

A significant tribal council (jirga) was convened today in Qila Abbas Sadda, with the participation of representatives from both sides. The primary objective of the jirga was to restore regional peace.

Representatives from both factions agreed to an 8-month cessation of hostilities (tegha), aimed at preventing conflict and improving the overall situation in the area.

Furthermore, it was agreed that government and state institutions would jointly announce the formal reopening of roads to alleviate public hardship and facilitate travel.

This agreement follows a grand jirga held in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which concluded on January 1, 2025, addressing the situation in Kurram. Parties signed an agreement at that time as well.

Jirga member Malik Swab Khan stated that both parties are bound by the decisions of the Apex Committee, with outstanding issues resolved. He indicated that the agreement would be officially announced at the Governor’s House in Peshawar, noting that the factions had reached consensus on 14 points.

Malik Swab Khan further elaborated that neither faction would be allowed to possess unlicensed weapons. They have also agreed to dismantle their fortifications, with weapons to be collected under government supervision.

Another jirga member, Malik Syed Asghar, confirmed that both parties had signed the agreement and that the official announcement would take place at the Governor House in Peshawar.

Despite previous agreements, the situation in Kurram has remained tense, with repeated attacks on convoys carrying relief goods to Parachinar.

On March 9th, the Kurram District Bar Association wrote to President Asif Ali Zardari, complaining about the closure of local roads for the past five months. They highlighted that the blockades had led to shortages of food and medicine in the tribal district.

The letter also stated that the blockades had resulted in financial losses and fatalities, while the unavailability of fuel for vehicles had severely impacted the education sector.

Kurram, a district of more than 600,000 residents near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan, has long been a hotspot for sectarian violence. But recent months have seen escalating tensions, with clashes since July to date leaving over 200 people dead.