In a disputed province that borders Afghanistan, officials in Pakistan’s north-western regions reported that highly militarized rival Sunni and Shiite Muslim clans had signed a ceasefire agreement after fresh fatal confrontations. The accord between the opposing factions was settled by a customary large gathering of tribe seniors. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province’s Kurram district is where the deal was struck. In a midnight declaration, a local administration official noted that violent sectarian violence across the area had frequently resulted from long-standing property issues.
Muhammad Ali Saif clarified in a social media post that both parties have decided to destroy their defensive structures and turn up their arsenals of weapons to the government. Any person or group proven responsible for breaking the conditions of the deal would be caught and penalized according to local customs.
Saif commended Kurram’s almost 800,000 inhabitants for the reached agreement. He gave them his word that the agreement would quickly bring stability and safety back to the area and promote growth.
Deadly Dispute in November
Last November, the latest phase of fighting broke out in the area. 52 people were killed when gunmen assaulted a caravan of cars primarily transporting adherents of the Shiite minority. Nobody took responsibility of the tragedy. Shiite rebels, however, retaliated by attacking the Sunni community where the vehicle was attacked. The attack increased the total number of fatalities to almost 130.
Truce and reconciliation talks between the warring parties were the results of the local government’s engagement. However, police were forced to stop all Pakistani transportation heading into the region due to the ongoing hostilities.
The limitation obstructed with the local inhabitant’s ability to earn a living, trade, get food items, energy sources, and healthcare. According to Saif, the ceasefire agreement will let the district’s roadways resume operation. Cargos of people and goods that had become trapped were anticipated to continue their trips.
Pakistani officials have been using helicopters to transport food and medication to Kurram. However, locals expressed dissatisfaction over the air operations’ lack of effectiveness in resolving the district boundary dispute. In order to assist address the supply issues, they have also been holding public demonstrations to put pressure on the administration to restore the road connections.
Kurram is the sole region in Pakistan where the vast majority of people are Shiite community rather than Sunnis. Islamabad uses the Kharlachi border crossroads in the Kurram area for both direct and cargo commerce with isolated Afghanistan. Recent disputes between sects have also caused it to be suspended.
