Tirah | Pakistan

PESHAWAR: After weeks of protracted deliberations with security and administration officials, tribal elders from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s restive Tirah valley finally agreed to start vacating their homes from January 10, ahead of an operation against militants, after reaching a written agreement with the district administration. The deadlock had persisted between the valley’s tribal elders and government officials over the launch of a military operation in the valley as well as the relocation of families to prevent collateral damage. Sources among the 24-member jirga, who negotiated the written agreement on the displacement process with the district administration, said that the entire Tirah valley would be vacated by January 25, 2026, thus paving the way for the long-anticipated military operation against all proscribed militant groups currently holed up in the valley. Spelling out the terms and conditions of the written agreement, the jirga said that the district administration agreed to pay Rs3 million to thos...

KHYBER: Preparations for a decisive action against terrorist groups in the restive Tirah valley have entered the final phase as security officials verbally agreed on a possible timeframe for the operation and facilitation of the departing families. Sources in the valley told Dawn that hectic deliberations had been taking place between the Tirah Bagh Brigade Headquarters and local elders since Wednesday (Dec 10) to develop a mechanism for the ‘willful’ relocation of families from the valley and an acceptable package for the new internally displaced persons (IDPs). They said that while expressing satisfaction with the voluntary repatriation of families from different areas of Tirah in the last few weeks, officials posted to the Bagh Brigade Headquarters made it clear to local elders that those unwilling to vacate their houses would face “utter difficulties” after the launch of the operation. A Malakdinkhel elder, who was part of the negotiating team, told Dawn on condition of anonymity that the launch of the mi...

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Monday condemned the deaths of civilians during “operations against terrorists” in the province’s Tirah area. Earlier, a senior police officer in the area told AFP on condition of anonymity that “jets targeted four houses, which were completely destroyed”. He, however, did not say who carried out the attack. The incident generated criticism from multiple quarters. A statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Secretariat said CM Ali Amin Gandapur met a delegation from the district following the incident with PTI MNA Iqbal Afridi, the KP chief secretary, additional chief secretary (home), Peshawar commissioner and other officials also present in the meeting that reviewed the law and order situation in the “context of the unfortunate incident” that occurred in Tirah. “Martyrdom of civilians in the incident is regrettable and condemnable. Martyrdom of civilians as a result of operations against terrorists is unacceptable,” the statement quoted CM Gandapur as saying. It added tha...

KHYBER: The leaders of banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) agreed on Tuesday that they would not use civilians as a human shield in their armed struggle against security forces, nor would they extort money from anyone in the name of Zakat and Ushr in the restive Tirah valley of Khyber tribal district. Written in Pastho on the letterhead of TTP and duly stamped by its ‘supreme council’ (Rahbari Shura), a Bar Qambarkhel elder read out the five-point agreement in front of a gathering of local tribesmen in response to their demand for ending hostilities against ordinary tribesmen and a pullout from Tirah to restore peace. There was, however, no mention of a pullout from Tirah in the agreement inked between local elders and TTP. The leaders banned TTP vowed to continue their armed resistance against security forces and also punish those, who supported forces or found guilty of spying against them. “Our sole purpose is an armed struggle (jihad) against anti-Islam forces and their collaborators for which we desp...

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Monday said Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was “in contact” with the relevant administration over the incident of protesters being shot in Khyber district’s Tirah Valley. Seven people were shot on Sunday after a demonstration outside the Brigade Headquarters in Bagh-Maidan Markaz against the death of a minor girl in a mortar strike in Tirah’s Zakhakhel. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the “firing on peaceful citizens by khawarij” — a term the state uses to refer to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). However, according to sources and protesters, security personnel guar­ding the installation reportedly had opened fire to control the crowd. Besides the seven killed, at least 16 others also received bullet injuries, sources said. There has been no official statement from the local administration or the military about the mortar strike or Sunday’s killings. “The chief minister is in constant contact with the relevant administration,” CM Gandapur’s public rel...

KHYBER: Consultations and deliberations started both in Bara and Tirah among various stakeholders after they were conveyed a message about possible military operation during an official meeting on May 27 (Tuesday). Held at Khyber House and chaired by Peshawar Commissioner Riaz Mehsud, the meeting was also attended by regional security officials, deputy commissioner of Khyber, DPO and elders from Tirah and Bara along with elected representatives. Sources told Dawn that commissioner conveyed to the participants of the meeting the government’s resolve about ‘decisive’ military operation against various terrorist groups presently holed up in some localities of Shalobar and Zakhakhel areas in Tirah valley. They said that the commissioner also told Tirah elders that residents of Landawar, Dray and Darpair in Shalobar and Zarra Pakha and Mazari Sar in Zakhakhel had to be temporarily displaced prior to start of operation after Eidul Azha to avoid collateral damage. MNA questions infiltration of terrorists into the va...