EDITORIAL: With a week-long ceasefire being agreed upon between warring tribes in the violence-wracked Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on November 24, the fragile truce offers temporary respite from a blood-soaked few days that have seen at least 64 people being killed.
An ambush on a convoy of vehicles left more than 40 people dead on November 21, which was followed by a series of reprisal arson and gun attacks two days later that resulted in the deaths of a further 21 individuals.
Even a quick study of Kurram’s recent history tells us that the situation there has been marred by turmoil for months now, with land disputes between two tribes escalating into a deadly conflict that has caused more than 80 fatalities since July. The relentless violence has now also led to around 300 families fleeing the district and relocating to other parts of the province.
Notably, around 40 percent of Kurram’s population comprises Shias, which often causes tribal conflicts and land disputes to take on a sectarian dimension. This exacerbates divisions and undermines the administration’s often lacklustre attempts at fostering reconciliation.
In fact, in some ways, the violence in the district is a microcosm of the ills afflicting the country at large – a highly volatile mix of tribal conflicts, land disputes, sectarian tensions and militancy that has claimed countless innocent lives over the last many years.
And as in the country at large, in Kurram, too, the state and the law enforcement apparatus appear to be completely out of their depth in getting the situation under control, leaving communities to grapple with ever-increasing violence and an abject sense of insecurity in the absence of effective governance.
The fact is that the conflict in Kurram is deeply entrenched in history, with its origins stretching back several decades.
The district’s proximity to Afghanistan, coupled with the fact that the TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) had previously established control here before being ousted by a military operation, adds further complexity to the situation.
Given that the crisis there is not of recent vintage, the complete inability of the federal and provincial governments, as well as state institutions, to address the root causes of the strife and restore stability highlights a troubling pattern of abandonment, incompetence, and disinterest from those in power, leaving the region to fend for itself amidst persistent violence and discord.
Whether it is the failure to deweaponise the region, provide justice to the victims of violence or resolve the long-standing land disputes, the authorities’ inaction continues to perpetuate the cycle of unrest, leaving the people of Kurram trapped in a state of insecurity and suffering.
Beyond the state’s fundamental duty to put a halt to the violence and safeguard innocent lives, the rapidly shifting international geopolitical dynamics, particularly with the Trump administration set to take office in Washington, demand urgent and decisive action from those in power to address the situation before it spirals further out of control, potentially attracting unwelcome global scrutiny.
The make-up of the incoming Trump administration suggests its proclivity for India and a likely tilt in regional policy that could potentially isolate Pakistan unless it prioritises resolving its internal conflicts and actively projecting itself as a stable and responsible player in the region.
Bringing peace to Kurram, therefore, must become part of a broader strategy focused on fostering stability in the country and resolving the underlying conflicts that fuel violence, while reinforcing Pakistan’s position as a key regional actor in the face of shifting global dynamics.
The state must, therefore, take concrete steps to resolve the deep-seated land disputes in Kurram, hold those responsible for the bloodshed accountable, and put in place robust initiatives that foster trust and reconciliation among communities to ensure lasting peace.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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