Weeklong clashes in Pakistan’s northwest leave 39 dead amid ceasefire efforts

Ambulances carry victims' coffins of those who were killed in the sectarian violence inside a school, in Parachinar on May 4, 2023. (AFP/File)

• Kurram tribal district has a history of bloody confrontations that have claimed hundreds of lives over the years
• KP’s chief minister has asked police, district administration to take action and help reach a ceasefire in the area

PESHAWAR: The weeklong clashes between two rival tribes over a property dispute in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province have left 39 people dead and 109 wounded, medics said on Friday, as local elders intensified efforts to enforce a ceasefire between the warring factions.
The Kurram district, formerly a semi-autonomous area, has a history of bloody confrontations that have claimed hundreds of lives over the years.
“We have received a total of 70 casualties, with 23 of them dead in the last seven days of clashes,” Dr. Mir Hassan Jan, Medical Superintendent at the District Headquarters Hospital in Upper Kurram, told Arab News.
Separately, District Health Officer for Lower and Central Kurram, Dr. Muhammad Faisal, said that two medical facilities in the area had received 16 bodies from the firefight.
“So far, we have a tally of 62 injured people and 16 others who are dead,” he added.
The clashes erupted last week over a piece of land claimed by both sides in Kurram, which has witnessed deadly tribal conflicts, sectarian violence, and militant attacks in the past.
A major conflict that began in 2007 continued for years before being resolved with the help of a jirga, a council of tribal elders, in 2011. However, another round of clashes broke out over a property dispute in July this year, leaving 38 dead and 158 injured in the same district.
Hameed Hussain, Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from Kurram district, told Arab News that local elders, along with security and district administration officials, had stepped up efforts to ensure a ceasefire without further delay.
“The government’s approach to dealing with the situation or enforcing a ceasefire is slow,” he noted. “But we have expedited efforts and approached its officials, along with rival tribes’ elders, in hopes of negotiating a settlement.”
Earlier, police said the warring tribes were using heavy and small weapons, blocking several routes, including the Parachinar-Peshawar highway.
KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has directed the police and district administration to take action and help reach a ceasefire through a jirga.
“For the last year, law and order issues have plagued Kurram, which should be resolved permanently,” Gandapur said in a statement.
“For a durable solution, a committee comprising members of the national and provincial assemblies, local elders, and law enforcement agencies should be formed to bring the warring tribes together and resolve the issue once and for all,” he added.