Despite efforts by the KP government to bring about a ceasefire in Kurram tribal district, the bloodletting has continued. An official delegation said on Sunday that a seven-day truce between rival tribes had been brokered. The latest round of violence was sparked by the atrocious attack on a convoy on Thursday in which over 40 people were murdered. In an apparent retaliatory move, over 20 people were killed in armed attacks on Friday.

Locals told media that there were few signs of a ceasefire on Monday, while officials said the death toll had risen further. The unfortunate fact is that Kurram has been rocked by tribal-cum-sectarian violence for the past several months, yet the state has preferred a firefighting approach, only stepping in after high loss of life. A land dispute is said to be the trigger for the violence that erupted in July, while deadly clashes also took place last year. In fact, tensions go back to 2007, when lethal clashes and their aftermath reportedly resulted in thousands of deaths.

The continuing violence indicates the complexity of the situation in Kurram. For there to be durable peace, the underlying factors fuelling tension need to be addressed judiciously. For one, terrorist and sectarian groups cannot be given any space to operate. These malignant actors use local tribal and land disputes to stoke the flames. Thorough action is needed to neutralise the militants in Kurram and the surrounding districts, while strict vigilance should be maintained to ensure that terrorists based in Afghanistan cannot cross the border.

Moreover, the state must ensure people can safely travel between cities and towns, and that violent groups do not maintain any ‘no-go areas’ in the region. It is the state’s duty to secure thoroughfares, and it must deliver on this obligation. Also, an official land commission has reportedly reached a conclusion regarding the dispute at the heart of the matter, but has not made its findings public due to ‘sectarian sensitivities’. These findings should be made public, and all sides must reach an amicable solution to end the dispute.

PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has blamed the KP administration for the poor security situation in Kurram. Unfortunately, over the decades, all organs of the state — the federal and provincial governments, as well as the security establishment — have repeatedly failed to maintain order, protect citizens and judiciously resolve disputes in Kurram.

This must change if the state wants to prevent further bloodshed in this volatile area. Local tribes had signed an accord in Murree in 2008, which was revalidated in 2011, to help bring peace to the region. This framework should be pursued to permanently end violence in Kurram.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2024