Two-month emergency order bans gatherings of more than 4 people and weapons display
Peace agreement signed January 1st remains fragile, with one tribal leader refusing to sign
Crisis began November 21st with passenger convoy attack that killed 43 people
Pakistan’s northwestern provincial government imposed emergency restrictions in Kurram district on Sunday after a humanitarian convoy attack injured seven people, including a senior official.
Authorities banned public gatherings and weapons displays, and appointed a new administrator for the conflict-hit area.
The two-month emergency order and the appointment of Ashfaq Khan as interim Deputy Commissioner, a day after gunmen ambushed a humanitarian convoy injuring his predecessor and six others, signal an intensified government response to the crisis in Kurram.
The district, home to over 400,000 people, has been cut off from essential supplies for nearly three months due to sectarian violence.
“Disgruntled groups under the gaze of militants will exploit the situation to carry out their plans,” warned Muhammad Abid Majeed, Additional Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Home Department, in the order invoking Section 144 of Pakistan's Code of Criminal Procedure.
The section allows authorities to ban gatherings of four or more people, with violators subject to prosecution under colonial-era laws.
Ashfaq Khan’s appointment follows the attack that left former Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud hospitalized with gunshot wounds. The provincial government, in an official statement, described the incident as a terrorist attack and said Khan’s role begins “in the public interest.”
FIR registered
Meanwhile, an FIR has been registered at the CTD police station in Kurram regarding the attack on the Deputy Commissioner’s convoy. The case includes terrorism charges, attempted murder, and other offences.
According to the FIR, five individuals—identified as Kazim, Rajmeen, Haji, Qadir, and Rahman Muhammad—along with 25 to 30 unidentified militants, have been named in the case.
The FIR states that the attackers targeted the Deputy Commissioner and security personnel, damaging official vehicles to spread fear and panic in the region.
Parachinar sit-in called off
The 15-day sit-in in Parachinar has been called off following the imposition of Section 144 in Kurram.
Prayer leader Agha Muzahiri, after consulting with Anjuman Hussainia, Tehreek Hussaini, and the Dharna Core Committee, announced the suspension of the protest.
Addressing the crowd, Agha Muzahiri said the decision was made in the community’s best interest but warned the sit-in could resume if the government fails to fulfil the protesters’ demands.
KP govt announces tough measures
A high-level meeting of senior KP officials was held in Kohat on January 5, 2025, to discuss the law-and-order situation in Kurram, the January 4 attack on Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud, and the blockade of supply convoys carrying essential goods. The following decisions were made:
1. Tribal leaders who signed the Kurram peace agreement will be held accountable for ensuring its implementation.
2. All individuals involved in the January 4 attack and their facilitators will be named in FIRs, charged under anti-terrorism laws, arrested, and added to Schedule IV.
3. Tribal leaders have been directed to hand over those responsible for the attack and their facilitators. Failure to comply will result in:
- Direct action to arrest the suspects.
- Strict administrative measures on the Thall-Parachinar and Torawari-Shasho roads.
- Suspension of compensation and aid in the affected area until the suspects are surrendered.
- Disciplinary action against government employees found supporting sectarian unrest.
4. The government will take strict action against those disturbing peace and law and order.
5. If the attackers are not handed over, strict operations will be carried out at the site of the incident.
6. Transportation of essential goods convoys will resume shortly.
7. Section 144 will remain enforced in Kurram, and curfews will be imposed during convoy movement. Anyone found with weapons will be treated as a terrorist.
8. In case of continued non-compliance, the population in the area of the incident may be temporarily relocated for clearance operations.
9. Rewards will be announced for information leading to the capture of suspects.
10. The DPO Kurram will be provided with anti-riot equipment, additional resources, and female police officers as needed.
11. Police will remove any illegal blockades or gatherings on the Thall-Parachinar road.
12. Sufficient police personnel will be deployed for security on the Thall-Parachinar road, with support from other law enforcement agencies, including the Frontier Corps, as required.
In the meantime, conditions in Parachinar, Kurram’s main town, remain dire. Severe shortages of food, medicine, and other necessities are worsening the plight of residents. “Women, children, and the elderly are enduring extreme hardships,” a spokesperson for the Shia organization Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) said on Sunday, urging swift implementation of a recent peace agreement and action against those violating it..
'Peace at all costs'
Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, a provincial advisor and chief mediator of the peace process, pledged on Sunday that “peace will be ensured in Kurram at all costs.” Speaking in Peshawar, Saif called the convoy attack “a failed conspiracy to sabotage peace” and warned that “peace enemies will be dealt with firmly.” He hinted at potential tribal enforcement mechanisms to maintain order.
A convoy of 75 trucks carrying food, medicines, and other essentials remains stalled in the Chappri area due to security concerns.
Saif assured that the supplies would be dispatched once clearance is secured and urged residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with authorities.
In an emergency meeting late Saturday, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur approved “decisive actions” with top security and administrative officials. These include filing criminal cases against the attackers, issuing arrest warrants, and offering bounties for their capture or elimination. Officials reaffirmed a zero-tolerance policy for “terrorists and their facilitators.”
Fragile peace
The violence has exposed the fragility of a peace agreement reached on January 1 after over 50 negotiation sessions. While most tribal leaders signed the 14-point deal, Karim Khan, a prominent figure from Bagan, refused, demanding compensation for damages from a November attack that killed more than 30 members of his community.
Injured Kurram Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud being shifted to a hospital following an attack on his convoy on January 4, 2025. Nukta
Saturday’s ambush occurred as Deputy Commissioner Mehsud travelled ahead of the convoy to negotiate with protesting residents of Bagan opposing its passage. Gunmen opened fire, hitting Mehsud twice in the back. Three Frontier Corps personnel, two police officers, and one civilian were also injured. The attack drew widespread condemnation.
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi criticized the provincial government for “failing to ensure safety.” .
Security convoy of injured Kurram Deputy Commissioner is stationed outside Tehsil Alizai Hospital on January 4, 2025.
Nukta
Security forces advised awaiting an official statement from the military’s media wing regarding reported additional casualties.
Kurram’s crisis began on November 21 with an attack on a passenger convoy that killed 43 people travelling from Parachinar to Peshawar. Since then, retaliatory sectarian clashes have claimed over 150 lives, injured 200 others, and forced the closure of the district’s only highway.
Strategically located along the Afghanistan border, Kurram has long been a hotspot for sectarian tensions between Sunni and Shia Muslims. Its complex tribal dynamics, history of militant activity, and geographical significance have made achieving lasting peace an ongoing challenge.
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