Authorities in Pakistan’s northwest push for ceasefire as Kurram clashes kill 64

Men walk past a market closed by traders during a strike against sectarian attacks in district Kurram, Pakistan, on November 22, 2024. (AFP)

• KP administration sends a high-level delegation to the restive region to consult local elders
• Provisional spokesman denies the delegation’s helicopter came under fire while landing

PESHAWAR: The death toll in days-long sectarian clashes in Pakistan’s northwestern Kurram district has risen to 64, authorities said on Saturday, as the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) announced it was striving for a ceasefire and would develop its strategy to address the situation in consultation with local elders.
The violence in the restive tribal district bordering Afghanistan began on Thursday when gunmen attacked a convoy carrying members of the minority Shiite community, killing 41 people.
Clashes intensified over the next 24 hours, with sporadic gunfire reported in multiple areas of Kurram, leaving 23 more dead and at least 86 wounded, according to local officials.
“The provincial government is making serious efforts for a peaceful and sustainable resolution of the Kurram conflict,” KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who chaired a meeting via video link to discuss the situation, was quoted as saying in an official statement. “A ceasefire in the area is essential to move toward resolving the conflict.”
“The provincial government will formulate its plan of action in light of consultations and proposals from local elders,” he added.
Earlier in the day, the KP administration dispatched a high-level delegation to Kurram to assess the situation and engage with tribal leaders. Local media widely reported that the delegation’s helicopter came under fire while landing, a claim the provincial authorities denied as “baseless.”
“We landed safely and held meetings with tribal elders and officials of the district administration in Kurram,” said provincial government spokesman Muhammad Ali Saif in a video statement. “There was no such incident [of firing on the helicopter].”
Former parliamentarian Sajid Hussain Turi, who was part of the delegation, also dismissed the reports as “propaganda,” urging media outlets to verify information before circulating.
The delegation met with Shia elders in Parachinar, the district’s main town, to seek proposals for ending the violence and is scheduled to meet Sunni elders in Sadda on Sunday, officials said.
The clashes mark one of the deadliest incidents in Kurram in recent years, following outbreaks of sectarian violence in July and September that killed dozens.
Gandapur described Friday’s attacks as “deeply regrettable and condemnable” and said the government would fulfill any legitimate demands from both sides to prevent further bloodshed.
“Establishing peace in the region is currently the provincial government’s top priority,” he added.
Shop owners in Parachinar have announced a three-day strike in protest against the violence, as residents report an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty across the district.