Ceasefire, release of hostages agreed in Kurram: Barrister Saif

PESHAWAR: In a major development, the warring tribes have agreed on a 7-day ceasefire and the release of hostages in the Kurram District of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, after days of violence that left at least 80 people dead, ARY News reported.

Speaking to ARY News, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister’s Information and Public Relations Adviser Barrister Dr Saif said that the official Jirga returned to Peshawar following the conclusion of a two-day visit to Kurram.

The provincial government’s delegation comprised of Provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam, Barrister Muhammad Saif, Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan, former MNA Sajid Turi, and Commissioner Kohat Division, Mutasim Billah Shah.

Also read: Kurram Incident: Preliminary report submitted to CM KP

He said that the Jirga met community leaders in the Saddar area of Lower Kurram following a meeting with the victims in Parachinar of Upper Kurram.

“The leaders of both communities have agreed on a 7-day ceasefire, urging to solve the disputes by negotiations. Both parties have also agreed to release the hostages of each other with the help of security forces,” he added.

Barrister Saif said that the Jirga will meet the elders of Kurram tomorrow for the implementation of agreed decisions, while the government is also seeking an extension in the ceasefire after days of Kurram violence.

Also read: Death toll in Kurram vehicle firing incident reaches 45

The adviser termed the Kurram vehicle firing incident, which killed more than 45 people, as an issue of cross-border terrorism, as the district connects with Afghanistan from three sides.

He said that miscreants across the border are trying to spread sectarianism and terrorism in Kurram.

Barrister Saif said that poverty and unemployment are the basic problems of Kurram’s people, but the federal government, instead of releasing funds to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was pouring oil on the tensions by giving political statements.

Earlier, at least 30 people including women and children, were killed when armed groups stormed villages of Kalu Kunj, Badshah Kot, and Bagan Bazar of Lower Kurram, opening fire, ransacked public buildings, torched several houses, in what is called a retaliatory attack, after an ambush on a convoy of passenger vehicles which left around 50 people killed.