PESHAWAR: A convoy of 40 vehicles carrying food and other necessities was dispatched to Kurram district after being stalled in Thall for five days, according to government officials.
Clashes stemming from decades-old land disputes have claimed at least 130 lives since November, with food and medicine shortages reported due to weeks-long road blockades.After months of violence, a peace agreement was signed between the warring sides on January 1. Despite a lull in fighting, the route connecting Parachinar with the rest of the province remained blocked.
However, on Jan 4, a government convoy came under attack near the Bagan area, in which the deputy commissioner of Kurram also sustained injuries. Since then, the convoy had been stranded.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said that 10 of the trucks, meant for the Bagan area, had safely arrived while another convoy of 30 vehicles had arrived in Parachinar and Upper Kurram.
Barrister Saif added that the convoy left after talks with protesters from the Bagan area concluded successfully.“More convoys would also be dispatched to the restive district soon.”He added that the government was consistently taking steps for the relief of the affected population and these convoys were a key part of those efforts.
The negotiations, in which the Grand Jirga, Kurram Peace Committee, and local peace committees played a pivotal role, led to an agreement with local protesters to remove barriers and allow the transportation of relief goods.
Saif emphasised that the restoration of peace and order in the region was a top priority for the provincial government and all necessary measures were being taken to fulfil the needs of the affected people.
Commending the cooperation of local elders in maintaining peace, Saif said that the role of jirgas and peace committees was a significant step towards long-term stability in the region. He assured that the government would further strengthen this collaboration and adopt a strategy to involve all stakeholders in the process.
Saif reassured the public that the government was not only focused on relief activities but was also making comprehensive plans for the long-term development and stability of the affected areas. He added that development could not be achieved without peace and the government was committed to ensuring complete tranquillity in the region.
