Kohat, December 28, 2024: The Grand Peace Jirga, held at Kohat Fort, has finalized a draft agreement aimed at restoring peace in the embattled Kurram district.
As part of the proposed agreement, both conflicting factions have agreed to surrender heavy weaponry to authorities, a move seen as a significant step toward de-escalating tensions in the region.
On Thursday, relief operations were carried out in Kurram’s Maqbal area, where helicopters delivered essential supplies, including medicines, to isolated communities. District administration officials reported evacuating 40 individuals, including patients, during the operation.
The Kurram district has been severely impacted by a prolonged blockade lasting over two and a half months. Major routes, including the Parachinar-Peshawar highway, the Pak-Afghan border, and other key arteries in Upper Kurram, remain closed. This has caused acute shortages of food, medicine, fuel, and other necessities in more than 100 villages across Parachinar and Upper Kurram. Businesses, including hotels, have been shuttered for the past three weeks.
Protests persist across the district, with a sit-in at the Kurram Press Club entering its ninth day. Demonstrations are also ongoing at five additional locations, including Sultan, Gosa, and Chinarabad, as residents call for the immediate reopening of routes and restoration of essential supplies.
The jirga’s efforts are viewed as a pivotal step toward addressing the crisis and alleviating the hardships faced by the affected communities.
