Pakistan: Talks to demilitarise Kurram district end in deadlock

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], January 1: Efforts to demilitarise Kurram district and resolve tensions between warring factions were stalled after a grand jirga failed to reach an agreement on the mandatory surrender of heavy weapons, The Express Tribune reported.
The jirga, aimed at negotiating a peace deal to facilitate the reopening of crucial roads in the region, was held on Saturday in Kurram district. Despite the meeting being attended by local tribal elders and Kohat Division Commissioner Moatasim Billah Shah, no breakthrough was achieved due to the absence of key members and unresolved disagreements.
Sources close to the talks revealed that the peace agreement was not signed because of a lack of quorum, with several jirga members not attending the crucial meeting. "Both parties concur on many points of the agreement, but one party had the reservations over a clause about depositing heavy weapons to the tribal elders," said a source familiar with the developments.
This deadlock has caused significant delays, with the road closure protests in the district now extending into their ninth consecutive day, reported The Express Tribune.
The core of the dispute centers around the surrender of heavy weapons, a condition set by the government to allow access to vital roads that have been shut due to ongoing hostilities. The authorities made it clear during the jirga discussions that the roads would not be reopened unless both sides agreed to hand over their heavy weaponry to tribal elders.
In response, one of the parties suggested that both sides submit their weapons to the government for safe keeping, but this proposal was not accepted by all parties involved.
In the interim, the provincial government has taken measures to alleviate the situation by launching a helicopter service to deliver essential supplies such as medicines across the district. Provincial Health Adviser Ehtesham Ali confirmed that since December 13, over 16,000 patients have received medical treatment at the Parachinar DHQ Hospital. The Express Tribune reported.
Despite these efforts, the blockade has triggered more unrest, with road blockages in Bagan and protests continuing in Parachinar, where residents continue to demonstrate against the road closures despite the harsh winter conditions.
Source: Times of Oman