Over 1,000 families in Pakistan’s Kurram district are set to be relocated to makeshift camps due to ongoing sectarian violence and an anticipated counter-terrorism operation, reports Hamza Ameer
The local administration in the Kurram District of Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on Saturday announced relocation over 1000 families to makeshift camps following fresh violence and a possible counter-terrorism operation being planned by the security forces in the region.
Kurram Deputy Commissioner (DC) Javedullah Mehsud ordered setting up of camps for Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDP) in the lower Kurram area amid fear of more violence and unrest in the area which has been cut off from the rest of the country for months after violent clashes between the rival sectarian tribes of Shia and Sunni Muslims that has claimed over 150 lives till now.
The decision was made as the death toll in the deadly attack on the Kurram aid convoy to Parachinar rose to eight after four more bodies of the missing drivers were recovered on Saturday.
The 35-vehicle convoy, which was the second batch of aid supplies moved to Parachinar, included medicines, vegetables, fruits, edible items and was being escorted by security forces, including the police and the Frontier Constabulary (FC), when it came under a major attack on Thursday, resulting in several deaths.
“Our families are dying here every day because of starvation and medical issues… no progress is seen on the ground despite the peace agreements.” – A local resident from Kurram.
At the same time, casualties continued to rise due to lack of food supplies and non-availability of medicines despite a 14-point peace agreement signed recently between the fighting groups which was supposed to pave the way for a ceasefire in the devastated region.
In his letter to the Relief Secretary of KP’s Rehabilitation and Settlement Department, Javedullah had asked for establishment of relocation camps to four sites in the province’s Thall area “to ensure safety and support of the affected population during the expected operation”.
Details reveal that at least 5245 households and 466 families from Madori, Uchat and Charkhel; 9685 households and 866 families from Baggan; and, 2494 households along with 547 families from Chapri Paraw would be relocated to the makeshift camps.
It is expected that the relocation sites for TDPs from Kurram would include government schools along with tented villages.
“Government Boys Degree College in Thall has a capacity of 25 rooms and two big halls. Government Technical College has 15 rooms and a hall. Rescue 1122 compound has two halls and 10 rooms. Another under-construction judicial building has 15 rooms and two halls. These are some sites that are under consideration along with others for relocation of TDPs from Kurram,” said an official of the provincial government.
The latest attack has jolted the peace deal yet again, striking fear and uncertainty in the district, which has been suffering due to the unrest for over three months.
Earlier this month, the Deputy Commissioner of the Kurram district was critically injured as his vehicle came under attack in Mandoori, Kojalai Baba village near Bagan.
“Shia and Sunni conflict has been going on for decades here. People have been slaughtered by rival tribes in ambushed attacks many times and every time they end up signing the so-called peace agreements. This time also, a peace agreement has been signed. But no progress is seen on ground as far as opening of routes and supplies is concerned. Our families are dying here every day because of starvation and medical issues,” a local told IANS.
The sectarian conflict in Parachinar started in the last week of November when a bus was attacked, resulting in the death of over 47 Shia Muslims. In retaliation, Shia militant groups carried out attacks on Sunni villages, brutally killing over 150 people. Since then, the tribal region has been blocked from the rest of the country.
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