BAJAUR: Life in several areas of the restive Lowi Mamund tehsil here has begun returning to normalcy following the postponement of a potential anti-terrorist operation due to talks between the Bajaur Aman Jirga and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Residents told Dawn on Wednesday that the Jirga-TTP talks, which had been continuing for the last six days and were meant to convince terrorists to leave the region for Afghanistan, had not only led to the postponement of the Operation Sarbakaf planned by security forces in 16 Lowi Mamund areas but also helped normalise situation in many villages to some extent.

They said the Laghari Bazar, a major commercial centre in the tehsil, reopened on Wednesday after remaining closed since July 29 due to the curfew imposed by the district administration in those areas for the launch of the Operation Sarbakaf to flush out terrorists, who were present in the region for several weeks.

Attributing normalcy to the ongoing Jirga-TTP dialogue, the residents said they were relieved to see life slowly return to normal in many areas.

“We are thrilled to see normalcy gradually return to our areas, which were plagued by uncertainty over the last week,” said Asmat Khan of Tarkho area.

Residents insist Jirga-TTP talks led to postponement of Operation Sarbakaf

He said the credit for normalcy largely went to members of the Bajaur Aman Jirga.

Ihsan Khan, a trader in Laghari Bazaar, told Dawn that almost all shops in the bazaar remained open on Wednesday.

“The entire population, especially Laghari Bazaar traders, were overjoyed to see things returning to normal after a week of unrest,” he said.

The residents said public transport vehicles had also resumed plying many areas, especially on the Inayat Kallay-Laghari Road, a main artery of Lowi Mamund tehsil that connected the area with rest of the district.

They hoped that the situation would further improve after the Jirga-TTP talks yielded results.

Meanwhile, around 800 families from 16 areas of Lowi Mamund tehsil had so far been displaced from their native villages to safer areas due to the uncertain situation.

According to residents and non-governmental organisations, those families, mostly from Tharkho, Irab, Gat, Agra, Khurchai, Dawagai, Kalan, Legharai, Kitkot, Gillai, Nakhtar, Zarai, Dambarai, Amanato and Zagai, have left their homes on July 30, a day after the security forces launched Operation Sarbakaf against terrorists in the region.

They claimed that almost the entire population in the affected areas had been displaced.

Reports suggest that most displaced people have moved to different areas of Khar tehsil, including Khar town, Sadiqabad town, Inayat Kallay, Umary, Tang Khata, Loe Sam, Yousafabad and Khazana. Many of them have been accommodated in guesthouses by landlords, tribal elders and well-off individuals free of charge.

Moreover, humanitarian organisations Al-Khidmat Foundation, Pakistan Red Crescent Society and JUI-F have established relief camps where displaced people get food and essential commodities.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2025