Kurram tribal region: Peace accord signed to end years of bloodshed

Kurram tribal region: Peace accord signed to end years of bloodshed

Published: February 4, 2011

Tal-Parachinar highway to reopen on Saturday; tribesmen agree to honour the jirga.

ISLAMABAD: The four-year-long tribal feud between the majority Shia and minority Sunni communities in Parachinar came to an end on Thursday, as the two sides signed a historic peace accord.

Top tribal elders and parliamentarians representing the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) announced that the accord will come into effect from February 5, with the reopening of the main highway between Tal and Parachinar. The road was closed because of bloody armed clashes that left over 2,000 people dead and over 3,500 injured over the past three years. Similarly, all key roads in the entire Kurram tribal agency will also be reopened for traffic. The accord will be marked with the performance of tribal "Teega" by all local tribal heads and jirga leaders to declare a formal ceasefire.

More than 3,000 families had to abandon their hometowns to shift to safer places in Peshawar and parts of Fata, during the sectarian violence and bloodshed.

Jirga Chief Malik Waris Khan Afridi, while giving the details of the accord to the media, said the federal government will financially compensate the affected tribesmen soon.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik also attended the news conference to demonstrate the government's support for the historic peace accord.

The Shia community suffered more loss to life and finances as the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban supported rival Sunni groups. Over 200 people were killed by suicide attacks by the Taliban against the rival sect.

The tribesmen of Parachinar region were forced to travel via Afghanistan to visit other parts of Fata and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for over three years, due to the closure of the Tal-Parachinar highway.

The federal government encouraged Fata parliamentarians to resolve the issue and arrange a ceasefire between the two conflicting parties.

Headed by Malik Waris Khan Afridi, the former federal minister from Khyber Agency, the 220-member tribal jirga took two years to arrange a negotiated settlement of the issue.

MNA Sajid Toori from Parachinar and MNA Muneer Orakzai played leading roles to bring the two sides to the negotiation table.

Giving the details of the accord, Afridi said the safe and secure return of the tribesmen will be ensured by the government. He added that the jirga was in fact a continuation of the Murree accord, which was arranged a few months ago for ceasefire. In response to the demands by the jirga, the interior minister announced that the government will financially compensate the affected people. He said that he would forward a formal summary to the prime minister for a special package for the victims of the clashes.

Tribesmen across all divides have assured the government of their support for the peace accord. "We have been assured by all tribesmen that they will honour the decisions taken by the jirga," Afridi concluded.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2011.

source: http://tribune.com.pk/story/113889/kurram-tribal-region-peace-accord-signed-to-end-years-of-bloodshed/

Tall-Parachinar road to be reopened from Feb 5

ISLAMABAD: The federal government and tribal jirga Thursday announced the reopening of Tall-Parachinar road and all roads in Kurram Agency from February 5, which has been closed for the last four years.
The tribal jirga held here with Federal Interior Minister Rehman in the chair. The jirga was attended by tribal elders from all agencies including MNA Sajid Hussain Turi, Munir Orakzai, Eng Shaukatullah, NA deputy speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, Malik Waris Khan and all large number of tribal elders.
The jirga announced complete implementation of the Murree peace deal. It was decided that all the internally displaced persons would be helped in returning and rehabilitating in their respective villages. The government would pay compensation to the victims of the violence. About Rs1600 million have been allocated for the compensation to the victims.
Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik on this occasion reprimanded the political agent of the Kurram Agency Syed Musadiq Shah and held him responsible for not reopening of the roads and violence and warned him of stern action if he failed in his duty. He said that all the tribesmen would be responsible for the security of roads in their respective areas, while the Frontier Corps and Frontier Constabulary would provide complete support to them.
The Shia and Sunni tribal elders assured their complete support for implementation of the Murree peace deal and said that the government should show seriousness in restoration of complete peace.
Some tribal elders were of the view that if the government did not take decisive action against militants present in the area, then the security on roads would be impossible.

source: http://www.khybernews.tv/news_details.php?newsid=5581

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Kurram roads to open tomorrow: Malik

Friday, February 04, 2011

ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik Thursday said roads of Kurram Agency including Tal-Parachinar Highway will be opened for all types of traffic from tomorrow (Saturday). These roads have been closed for the last four years due to sore circumstances.

He was talking to the media after holding a jirga with tribal leaders of Kurram Agency at the Ministry of Interior. He said terrorists from Afghanistan were carrying out terror attacks in Kurram Agency that are given the name of sectarian violence.

Rehman Malik presided the jirga, which was attended by tribal leaders of Ahl-e-Sunnat-wal-Jamaat and Ahl-e-Tashi sects, as well as members National Assembly Munir Orakzai, Sajid Toori and Deputy Speaker National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi. Tribal leaders of both the sects expressed the gesture of reconciliation and unity. They also gave recommendations to the minister and assured their full cooperation with government.

Rehman Malik assured the tribal leaders that the central government in coordination with Fata administration, provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and governor would work for the development and peace of the agency.

APP adds: A passport office would be set up in Tank district, announced Interior Minister Rehman Malik here Thursday, saying that the government was serious in uplift of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The minister announced this during a meeting with National Assembly Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, who had demanded a passport office for the district as the area people had to visit adjoining DI Khan district for this purpose. Dawar Kundi, Abdul Majeed Khan and Haji Abdul Rasheed were also present during the meeting.

source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=29340&Cat=2&dt=2/4/2011

Kurram Agency roads including Tal-Para Chinar Highway to be opened on Feb 5th

Kurram Agency roads including Tal-Para Chinar Highway to be opened on Feb 5th: Malik

ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister, Rehman Malik said roads of Kurram Agency including Tal-Para Chinar Highway will be opened for all type of traffic from February 5th. These were closed for the last four years due to sore circumstances.

He was talking to media after holding the Jirga with tribal leaders of Kurram Agency in ministry here in Islamabad on Thursday where he said terrorists from Afghanistan were carrying out terrorist attacks in Kurram Agency that are given the name of sectarian violence.

Rehman Malik presided the Jirga, which was attended by tribal leaders of Ahl-e-Sunnat Waljamat and Ahl-e-Tashi sects, as well as members National Assembly Muneer Orakzai, Sajid Toori and Deputy Speaker National Assembly, Faisal Karim Kundi.

Tribal leaders of both the sects expressed the gesture of reconciliation and unity. They also gave recommendations to minister, as well as assured their full cooperation with government.

During the course of media interaction, Rehman Malik said sects belonging from the Kurram Agency and tribal families have pledged for reconciliation and combating the terrorists from across the border. He said links of Kurram Agency with other parts of the country would restore and deficit of four years will be compensated.

Tribal leaders said during the clashes between clans and across the border terrorism, hundreds of people have been killed, about three thousands injured, whereas Rs. 1.6 billions financial damages have also been faced. They said complete truce is settled between Sunni and Shia sects, whereas terrorist who come across the border also try to flare up the sectarian violence.

During the Jirga meeting, Rehman Malik assured the tribal leaders that central government in coordination with FATA Administration, provincial government of KPK and governor would work for the development and peace of the agency. He also pledged that very soon FATA would become as peaceful as rest of the country is.

Murree Accord was also reviewed in the Jirga where tribal leaders demanded that government ensures the effective role of security forces for the establishment of peace. They also demanded that steps must also be commenced for the resettlement of expelled people, as well as for the resolution of miscellaneous conflicts.