KHYBER: More than 20,000 Kukikhel families, who had returned to their homes in Tirah Valley in different phases since 2022, have complained about lack of basic facilities despite giving repeated reminders to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government about its promised assistance.
They said that relevant authorities were yet to conduct a survey of their damaged houses while most of the returned families had either repaired their homes on self-help basis or were still living in tents and partially damaged houses, braving harsh weather conditions.
Malak Zabitha Khan of Mehraban Kallay told this scribe that the provincial government failed to fulfil its promises made with them during their repatriation in 2022 and onwards.
He said that their farmlands had turned barren during their decade-long displacement while the irrigation system too had almost vanished due to excessive snow and rains, thus bringing the farming activity to a standstill despite their heavy reliance on agriculture produce prior to their displacement.
Tribesmen complain about lack of assistance, delay in damage assessment survey
He said that their region would produce a variety of vegetables, fresh fruits, rice, wheat and corn before the region was captured by militants in 2012. “Now we have to make choices to either rebuild our damaged houses or to revitalise our agriculture with most of the returned families facing dire financial constraints,” he added.
Malak Haji Yaseen, another local, said that they were still awaiting construction of schools, health centres and provision of drinking water as most of the old natural springs had disappeared due to landslides.
He said that alongside agriculture, rearing of domestic animals was also a major source of livelihood for majority of the Kukikhel residents of Rajgal region but they had lost a large number of their livestock during the period of their displacement and were now unable to recover the losses with meagre resources.
Malak Noor Zahir, a tribal elder, said that some 16,000 displaced Kukikhels were still awaiting return to their homes despite the fact the area was declared ‘cleared’ by security forces.
He said that around 24,000 families hailing from Mehraban Kallay, Zarmanza, Tangu, Thor Darra, Serrai, Sra Waila, Seekhkot, Sur Kas, Zari Gut, Bari Gut, Wacho Wany, Spurrai, Barrai, Bagh, Pathai, Pakdara, Damamand and Thur Sapar had returned since 2022, the rest of 16,000 families hailing from Janikhel-Nakai, Babbar Kachkol, Kharrwali Kandaw, Kandu Gharebai and Cheengai were awaiting return.
He said that the provincial government was yet to initiate any major development projects in the region. He said that security forces had in the meantime helped in constructing three commercial centres in Mehraban Kallay, Thur Darra and Sur Kas while they also constructed some link roads in Nakai, Mehraban Kallay, Zarmanza, Tangu and Serrai.
The elder said that five mosques were also built by security forces along with some water supply schemes in different parts of the valley for the benefit of returned families.
He said that the natural beauty and scenic locations of the region also offered great potential for the promotion of tourism if proper attention was paid by the provincial government. He said that the region could attract tourists to generate employment opportunities for locals.
He regretted that neither the chief minister nor the MNA and MPA had so far paid a visit to those areas with the provincial government more focused on the politics of protests and agitations.
Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2026
