Khyber Pakhtunkhwa govt declares Kurram disaster-hit

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Cabinet on Monday declared Kurram disaster-hit amid a severe shortage of food and medicine supplies due to road closure after the violent sectarian attacks killed more than 100 people in the district, ARY News reported.

Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur chaired the meeting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet regarding the situation of Kurram.

After the meeting, adviser to the chief minister on information and public relations Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif said that the cabinet has approved declaring the district Kurram disaster-hit and imposing a relief emergency there.

He said that the provincial government is making sure the provision of medical and food supplies to Kurram which includes medicines, food supplies and transportation of people by helicopter.

Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif underscored that the KP government has also directed the relevant authorities to ramp up the relief work on an emergency basis.

“The government will continue its relief activities and provision of monetary cooperation to affected people till normalization of the situation”, he added.

Ali Amin Gandapur emphasised that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is working to resolve issues through negotiations and tribal councils. He vowed to protect the lives and properties of citizens without compromising the government’s authority.

Officials briefed the meeting that roads would only be reopened after an agreement between the parties involved. Social media accounts spreading sectarian hate will be blocked.

While most people want peace, certain elements are spreading sectarian hatred to destabilise the situation, Ali Amin Gandapur said, adding that such elements are twisting facts and spreading false narratives.

The region, he said, is already filled with illegal heavy weapons, which are unjustified and pose a threat to peace.

Earlier, The Apex Committee of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on December 20 reached a unanimous decision for both parties in the Kurram conflict to surrender their weapons in 15 days.

This resolution was announced during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, attended by Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Corps Commander Peshawar, provincial cabinet members, the Chief Secretary, IG Police, and senior civil and military officials.