Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has assured Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur on Friday that the federal government will fully cooperate with the provincial government to restore peace in the province.
The cordial meeting came about after plenty of fiery statements were exchanged between the Chief Minister and the federal government. After meeting Ali Amin Gandapur at the KP CM office in Peshawar, Naqvi said, “We will fully support enhancing the capacity of law enforcement agencies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”
According to reports, the discussion was centred on the deteriorating law and order situation in KP province, which saw an uprising in militant attacks in the past few months.
Speaking about last month’s deadly attack by two rival clans on each other, the Interior Minister remarked, “Maintaining peace in Kurram is our top priority.”
On November 21, gunmen ambushed a police-escorted convoy, which was headed towards Peshawar from Parachinar, leaving 52 dead and multiple wounded. Subsequently, clashes between warring clans escalated, and the tribes agreed to an “indefinite ceasefire” on December 6 after days of fighting.
Businesses, educational institutions and markets remained closed across Parachinar amid the clashes. The deadly dispute, which claimed at least 122 lives and left another 168 injured, also led to thousands taking to the streets in various cities across the country, demanding peace in the troubled area.
According to experts, land ownership issues in the region are the main bone of contention in the district. Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, the scale and violence of land disputes in Kurram have intensified and are fueled by the influx of advanced weapons left behind by retreating American forces.
Boshehra, a village in Upper Kurram, has become a focal point of a contentious land dispute that has intensified since 2023. This decades-long conflict, centred around a 100-kanal [50,586 sq metres] piece of land, has resulted in repeated clashes, armed skirmishes and numerous casualties. Despite efforts to resolve the issue through tribal jirgas [traditional councils], the dispute remains unresolved, as per Dawn News.
District authorities reported that at least eight major violent land disputes are currently ongoing between the two tribes in the region.
Naqvi stressed the need for efforts to be made with the consultation of all stakeholders to establish sustainable peace in Kurram, which had been the epicentre of violent clashes between two tribes on land disputes.
Interior Minister and CM KP paid tribute to the law enforcement agency martyrs in the war fighting against terrorism. “Martyrs are our pride. We salute their eternal sacrifices,” said Naqvi.
Ali Amin Gandapur declared that the sacrifices of martyrs are unforgettable. “We will unite to fight against the menace of terrorism,” he added.