PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Monday assured tribal elders from Khyber district that their issues, including the dignified return of Tirah displaced families, compensation payments and development needs of tribal districts, would be taken up with the relevant authorities on priority.

The assurance came during a meeting between the governor and a tribal jirga at the Governor’s House here.

The jirga, led by former federal minister Hamidullah Jan Afridi, included elders belonging to Kokikhel, Akakhel, Qambarkhel and other Afridi tribes.

The jirga members informed the governor about the problems being faced by local people, particularly the law and order situation, return of Tirah displaced persons, payment of compensation and issues relating to the Benazir Income Support Programme.

The tribal elders said nearly 32,000 registered families had been displaced from Tirah Valley due to military operations, and despite the passage of over one month from the announced timeline, the repatriation process had yet to begin.

Chairman of Red Crescent Merged Districts Imran Wazir Advocate was also present.

Governor Kundi said joint efforts would be made for the resolution of the issues being faced by tribal people. He said tribal districts had been promised Rs100 billion annually, but unfortunately, the deprivation of tribal people and the development needs of the merged districts had not been addressed adequately.

The governor said he had already directed the Red Crescent to provide assistance to Tirah families so that relief could reach deserving households.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2026