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

By Qaiser Butt

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

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

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.

Interior Minister assured them very soon a strategy would be made for the disbursements to effectees through a committee. He also distributed checks among the heirs of deceased students of Islamic international University blasts.

source: http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=174680

 

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Peace committee member shot dead in Peshawar 

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Peshawar - An elderly man from the tribal area of Parachinar was killed last night in Peshawar, Pakistan, apparently for the reason that he was trying to bring about peace between at-war religious sects.

A retired government official named Iqbal Hussain was shot dead last night (Sunday, January 30, 2011) by unidentified armed men in the posh area of Hayatabad in Peshawar city, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Hussain, around 75, was killed outside his house located at a short distance from the private hospital Rehman Medical Institute (RMI) of Hayatabad.

According to Muhammad Zahid, an acquaintance of Iqbal Hussain, the elderly retired official was from Parachinar (Kurram Agency) that borders on the Pakistan-Afghanistan political boundary, and was an active member of the local peace committee trying to resolve the disputes between Shia and Sunni sects in Parachinar. Hussain is said to have been called out to the door of his house by ringing the door bell. Just as he came out, he was shot by the men who then fled in a car.

According to Zahid, Hussain was Sunni by belief but he had good relations with the Shia community and was trying to put an end to the ongoing Shi-Sunni conflict in Parachinar. This was the most likely reason that he was targeted by people who don't want peace in Parachinar, Zahid remarked.

"He wanted to settle peace between Shia and Sunni sects," said Zahid, "and that might be the reason he was killed since he was a very peaceful person."

Zahid also expressed great concern over the continued hunting of each other's sect members among both Shia and Sunni people belonging to Parachinar but now residing in Peshawar.

"They stalk each other for killing because they fought back in their hometown and now their enmity has moved into the city with them," said Zahid.

Earlier in the day, Pro-Taliban militants blocked the main passage leading from Parachinar to Thall (Hangu) and deterred a convoy of people from leaving Parachinar, according to Press TV. The main road has been closed for about four years now. However, the security forces have not yet succeeded in ensuring safety of travel between the two areas by people, particularly by the Shia sect members belonging to Parachinar/Kurram Agency.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/303111

Four injured in Kurram mine blasts

briefs...

 

Monday, January 31, 2011

Four injured in Kurram mine blasts

PARACHINAR: Four persons were injured in mine blasts in Pewar and Balishkhel areas in Kurram Agency on Sunday, tribal sources said. The sources said militants had planted explosive device in a field in Pewar area that went off, leaving Javed Hussain injured. In another incident, an explosive device planted on the roadside in Balishkhel area in lower part of Kurram Agency went off, injuring three persons. Two of them were identified as Zahir Hussain and Zulfiqar Ali. 

source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=28633&Cat=2&dt=1/31/2011

Viable peace in Kurram demanded

 Peshawar

 

Viable peace in Kurram demanded

 

Our correspondent (ALI AFZAL AFZAAAALLL)
Monday, January 31, 2011

 

PARACHINAR: Tribal elders Sunday called for steps to restore viable peace to Kurram Agency, a tribal region that has seen bloody sectarian violence over the last three years.

In a statement, Member of the National Assembly from Kurram Agency Sajid Tori said some quarters were trying to derail the peace process. He urged the government and members of a peace jirga to announce the outcome of a recently held jirga to put an end to years of sectarian strife in the tribal region.

"Whenever an attempt is made to restore peace in Kurram Agency, some quarters become active to impede the process," he complained. He said the people in Kurram Agency wanted peace for which they had sided with the government.

Introduce reforms in Fata, govt urged: Tribal NGOs Consortium and Frontier Regions Civil Society Network (FCSN) have welcomed the merger of Kala Dhaka (Torghar) into the settled areas of Khyber Pakh-tunkhwa. In a statement, Chairman Tribal NGOs Consortium and Coordinator FCSN Zar Ali Khan Afridi said President Asif Ali Zardari announced reforms for Federally Administered Tribal Areas one and half years back on the Independence Day on August 14, 2009 but these were yet to be implemented. He said the people of Fata had been suffering for the last almost 63 years but since 2003 they were living in a hell. "Their political and social life has been destroyed while the business activities are at a standstill due to militancy," he added.

The TNC and FCSN asked the government to announce reforms for Fata including extension of Political Parties Act, representation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, abolition of collective responsibility clause in the FCR and giving Fata the status of Pata.

source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=28618&Cat=7&dt=1/31/2011

Fighting erupts in Kurram after truce

From the Newspaper

It was reported on Friday that the main Thall-Parachinar Road, which has remained closed for about four years, would be reopened in 24 hours under an accord between the warring groups. - Photo by AP

ISLAMABAD: Militants attacked a village in Kurram on Sunday two days after a grand jirga headed by lawmakers had announced a truce between Turi Bangash tribes and Taliban.

It was reported on Friday that the main Thall-Parachinar Road, which has remained closed for about four years, would be reopened in 24 hours under an accord between the warring groups.

On Saturday morning, the FC commandant announced that a passenger convoy escorted by FC personnel would leave from Parachinar for Thall. But Taliban and their local supporters blocked the road when the convoy reached the Bagan village in Lower Kurram. They said that they did not accept any deal for reopening the road.

On Sunday afternoon, a Taliban Lashker from Khar Kaly Sadda attacked the neighbouring Turi Bangash village of Blashkhel, but faced tough resistance.

According to sources, clashes were continuing and spreading to other villages.

They said that Taliban militants fleeing from Waziristan and Orakzai and their local supporters had launched the attack from their stronghold in Sadda and adjoining Khar Kaly in a bid to browbeat Turi Bangash tribes in Blashkhel.

According reports from the area, six Turi Bangash tribesmen and two Taliban attackers were injured in the clashes.

Some reports said that more than 20 Taliban had been killed and several others injured. While retreating, the militants had taken away the bodies and their injured associates.

source: http://www.dawn.com/2011/01/31/fighting-erupts-in-kurram-after-truce.html

Kurram Agency: After years of fighting, jirga brokers truce

Kurram Agency: After years of fighting, jirga brokers truce

By Qaiser Butt

Published: January 30, 2011

Formal announcement of peace agreement to be made in the next 24 hours.

ISLAMABAD: A grand tribal jirga in Parachinar has negotiated a truce between warring tribes after three years of fighting left over 2,000 dead and at least 3,500 injured in the Kurram tribal region.

Apart from this, over 3,000 families have left the region to seek shelter in other parts of Fata and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa since 2007.

Sajid Toori and Munir Orakzai, two lawmakers from Kurram Agency, told The Express Tribune that a formal announcement of the truce will be made on Monday at a news conference.

The agreement was reached after two years of negotiations by the Jirga comprising 225 elders from the entire tribal belt.

Malik Waris Khan, a former federal minister and leader of the PPP from Khyber Agency, headed the jirga and Haji Munir Orakzai, Sajid Toori, Haji Faiz Muhammad Malik, Jamal Hussain Orakzai, Malik Shah Hussain, Noor Jafar Orakzai and Malik Bismillah Orakzai are said to have played a pivotal role in negotiating the truce.

The jirga decided that the main Thal-Peshawar Road which leads to Parachinar will be opened immediately. The road has remained closed for the last three years due to fighting between Shia and Sunni tribesmen.

Hundreds of Taliban fighters from Fata and Afghanistan had come to the aid of the Sunni population in Parachinar against Shia tribesmen.

The Taliban have made the accusation that a neighbouring country has been providing arms and money to the Shia Toori tribes. It was also alleged that Baitullah Mehsud and Mullah Omar had sent their fighters to side with the Sunni tribes.

Sajid Toori claimed that 1,400 Shia tribesmen have been killed in fighting during the past four years.

Lower and Central Kurram, Chahar Dewar, Bin Yameen, Jalanai and Tri Mengal and Sadda have been the scenes of some of the bloodiest clashes between the two sides.

Munir Orakzai said that the political agent of the agency has assured the jirga that the government would compensate the affected people.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th,  2011.

source: http://tribune.com.pk/story/111277/kurram-agency-after-years-of-fighting-jirga-brokers-truce/

 

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Tribesmen demand opening of Thal-Parachinar Road

Tribesmen demand opening of Thal-Parachinar Road

PARACHINAR: The problems of tribal people have increased manifold due to lack of edibles items, medicines and petroleum products due to the long-term closure of the Thal-Parachinar Road in Kurram Agency. The tribal people have demanded immediate opening of this road to avert any humanitarian crisis in the area. The tribal elders Azmat Hussain Bangesh, Ali Khan Orakzia and Gul Khan Tori, during a peace Jirga held in Parachinar, have urged the government to take measures for the opening and safety of the Thal-Parachinar Road to check the suffering of tribal people. They stressed for restarting the convoy service to address scarcity of food, medicines and other things to Parachinar.

source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=27433&Cat=2&dt=1/24/2011
 

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