Peshawar: A peace agreement was reached between two warring parties in northwest Pakistan's restive Kurram district after more than three weeks of efforts to broker a ceasefire amid sectarian violence, officials said on Wednesday.
Representatives from the Alizai and Bagan tribes signed the 14-point agreement, agreeing to demolish all private bunkers and surrender heavy arms to the administration, said Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, spokesperson for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.
Sectarian clashes between the two tribes resulted in the killing of 133 people between November 21 and December 2. Tribal council member Malik Sawab Khan confirmed that 45 representatives from both sides signed the agreement, which included a ceasefire, and commitments to dismantle fortifications and surrender their weapons.
Saif said one party signed the peace pact a few days ago, while the other signed it on Wednesday. "We congratulate the people of Kurram on signing the peace agreement," he said, noting that it would soon fully restore normalcy to daily life in the district.
"The peace agreement will usher in a new era of peace and prosperity in Kurram," Saif said. He added that the grand jirga (tribal council) was working towards a peace accord that would lead to the reopening of roads in the restive district.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur welcomed the agreement's signing, stating that the provincial government's efforts for a peaceful resolution yielded fruitful results. He called it a significant step toward a sustainable solution in Kurram.
"I welcome this important development and congratulate all stakeholders," Gandapur said in a special statement issued on Wednesday, expressing hope that the agreement would lay a strong foundation for lasting resolution. He added that it paved the way for reopening Kurram’s land route, and said that by signing the agreement both parties have played a constructive role in establishing peace in the region.
Gandapur urged both parties to reject elements spreading hatred and foster unity and said that the agreement is a clear message that the region's people desire peace. He stressed that fighting and violence are not solutions, and disputes must be resolved through dialogue.
"Our efforts and wish are for the speedy resolution of the issues faced by the people of Kurram and the restoration of normalcy in the region," he said. He assured the people of Kurram that their challenges are well understood and that all possible measures will be taken to alleviate them.
Stemming from decades-old land disputes, the clashes led to weeks-long road blockades, during which food and medicine shortages were reported in the district. Tribal council member Khan said that planning was underway to reopen routes and establish lasting peace.
He added that those violating the agreement would be handed over to the authorities and efforts to maintain law and order would be carried out in coordination with law enforcement agencies.
The clashes between the two tribes started on November 22, after an attack on a convoy of passenger vans near Parachinar in which 47 people were killed. Several passengers who had sustained grave injuries succumbed later, raising the toll in the convoy killing to 57.
