Daily Times

More than a month after warring Kurram tribes agreed on a ceasefire following days of deadly clashes, violence has erupted once again in the region with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Friday revealing the death toll reached 60 with dozens injured.

Speaking to the media, Governor Kundi said: “As many as 60 people have died in Parachinar and dozens are injured”.

The governor’s remarks come as this second round of clashes began around a week ago over the construction of trenches six days ago and has continued unabated since then.

The dispute involves two rival tribes who have been fighting over a piece of land. In August, the two sides had reached a two-month ceasefire after the armed clashes resulted in 50 casualties and wounded 226 others.

Police say that clashes have been reported at various places with the fighting resulting in the closure of the Peshawar-Parachinar road.

Due to the closure of roads and markets, people are facing severe difficulties, including a shortage of food items, medicines and fuel, The News reported on Friday.

Meanwhile, Private Schools Management Chairman Muhammad Hayat Khan said that educational institutions had been closed for a week.

Speaking on the issue, Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mahsud has said that efforts are underway to stop the fighting with the help of the jirga and the tribal elders.

The ongoing clashes involve the offensive launched by the tribes in central Kurram against the tribes in Balishkhel area, which intensified the violence and spread to Pewar, Teri Mangal, Kanj Alizai, Maqbal, Para Chamkani, Karman, Sadda, Balishkhel, Sangeena, Khar Killay and other areas.

Elders belonging to Turi-Bangash tribes have called for immediate action from the authorities to resolve the issue amicably. DC Mahsud has said that several attempts had been made for a ceasefire, and efforts would continue until peace was restored. Meanwhile, separate jirgas of different tribes were convened that discussed ways and means to effect a ceasefire and restore a lasting peace in the area.

The elders warned that if the district administration and other institutions failed to end the clashes, the tribes would take their own measures to restore peace.

Addressing a tribal jirga in Parachinar, tribal leaders Jalal Bangash, Engr Hamid Hussain, a Member of the National Assembly and parliamentary leader of the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), Malik Zaman Hussain and others said that no one would benefit from the ongoing conflict and that a trivial issue between two families escalated into violent clashes due to the negligence of the administration and other responsible authorities.