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PESHAWAR, Jan 06 (APP):Following a direct attack on a convoy carrying relief goods to Parachinar, which left Deputy Commissioner Javed Mehsud and six others injured, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced a series of stringent security measures for restoration of peace and law and order in Kurram tribal district.
The firing on a peaceful convoy carrying relief goods from Thall to Parachinar on January 4, has drawn widespread condemnation from civil society, politicians, journalists, religious leaders and tribal elders that termed it an attempt to sabotage peace efforts in Kurram.
The life attempt assault, which took place at Bagan area in Lower Kurram on Parachinar-Thall Road, has escalated tensions in the area, prompting high-level government officials to convene an emergency meeting in Kohat that took a number of key decisions for restoration of public order.
In a bid to restore peace and security in the restive Kurram, the government of KP has promised to take decisive action, with strict security measures aimed at both bringing those responsible to justice and preventing further violence in the restive region bordering close to Afghanistan.
An official statement issued by the KP government has revealed that a high-level meeting of Govt authorities at Kohat held last night resolved to name the attackers and their facilitators in an FIR.
The culprits would face charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATC) and that additionally, those arrested will be added to the Scheduled IV list, which includes individuals deemed to be threats to national security.
The KP government has also made it clear that tribal elders of both parties, who signed the peace agreement will be held accountable for the attack on the peaceful convoy including DC Kurram.
The tribal and jirga elders have been instructed to cooperate with authorities of KP Govt and hand over the perpetrators of the January 4 assault, otherwise strict action was on card at the incident place.
Should the elders fail to comply, the government would be left with no other option but to directly arrest the culprits, and severe administrative actions would be enforced on critical routes such as the Thall-Parachinar and Torawrai-Shahsu roads.
Furthermore, the government has threatened to halt all assistance and financial aid to the area in question in case of noncooperation. In addition to the above measures, the government will take strong action against any officials found to be inciting sectarianism and fanning violence besides provocation speeches.
A potential operation in the affected area is being considered if the accused are not handed over to the authorities by the tribal and jirga elders forthwith.
Strict enforcement of security protocols, such as curfews on Thall-Parachinar during movement of convoys and designation of armed individuals as terrorists, is also on cards.
As the KP government is determined to restore peace in the region and impement the recent KP Apex Committee decisions, the officials emphasized that the violence witnessed in Kurram during this difficult period cannot be tolerated further.
Syed Akhtar Ali Shah, former Inspector General of Police, stressed that a clearance operation in Bagan was imminent unless the tribal elders and peace negotiators ensured the handover of the real culprits to Govt.
He supported the imposition of curfew measures along the Thall-Parachinar road during convoy carrying relief goods and medicines unless security fully restored, calling it a positive step toward restoring public order there.
Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi visited the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Peshawar on Monday, where he met with Deputy Commissioner Javed Mehsud and other injured personnel from FC who had been injured in the attack.
Accompanied by Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha, the provincial president of the Pakistan Peoples Party, the governor expressed his well wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured and commended Mehsud’s dedication to duty.
He also met with the families of the injured officers and praised their bravery in the face of adversity.
The experts said the government’s forceful response underlines its strong commitment to maintaining peace and stability in Kurram, as it seeks to address the growing security concerns and ensure the safety of both relief efforts and local communities.
The experts reiterated that firing on convoy was tantamount to sabotaging peace agreement recently signed by the rival parties and deprivation of Kurram tribal district from development.
They said great responsibilities rest on the shoulders of local tribal elders and jirga members to make a close eye on their surroundings and inform Govt authorities while seeing movement or presence of any suspected elements in their areas so that prompt action would be taken against them.