Kurram Peace Formula
Recently, in a tragic turn of events, the vehicle of Deputy Commissioner Kurram was ambushed, leaving him and five security personnel injured. This attack occurred shortly after the agreement between warring sects in the region. Unfortunately, the incident revealed that the recent Jirga was no different from previous ones—mere paperwork without a robust framework for implementation.
The ongoing sit-ins in Bagan reflect a deep mistrust in the Jirga process. One of the primary reasons for this fragility is that the Jirgas continue erecting pillars on powder kegs.
Justice remains elusive; victims are neglected, and perpetrators go unpunished.
Pope Paul VI says “If you want peace, work for justice”.
The first thing the government should do is to deliver justice. The government must prioritize delivering justice to the victims of the October 12 and November 21 incidents and address the grievances of Bagan’s residents. The people of Bagan have lost everything in the crisis — their homes, loved ones and businesses. Justice is the first step toward establishing trust and paving the way for sustainable peace.
For long-lasting peace a new social contract would be required—one where the government, along with elders from all districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, acts as guarantors. This contract must mandate immediate and decisive action against any violations to ensure accountability. The contract shall enforce deweaponization and to demolish all bunkers to reduce the likelihood of further violence. Long-standing land disputes should be addressed transparently and equitably to prevent them from fueling sectarian tensions. Any groups associated with sectarian violence must be dismantled, regardless of their affiliations. All social media accounts having sectarian tendencies should be blocked and their agents should be tried under the rules.
Kurram is a highly polarized region as recently in a Black Hole session on the Kurram Crisis Professor of Political Economy at NIPS, Aasim Sajjad Akhtar says that when one talk of Parachinar a Shia city would come to his mind while for Sunni city Sadda would come to the mind. For depolarization transformative step could be the creation of a new city as the district’s administrative headquarters. The City could be named “The Kurram City”. An ideal location would be between Khar Kali and Balishkhel. This location will not only dismantle the hot war zone but will also be accessible to Upper Kurram, Lower Kurram, and Central Kurram. This location is a juncture between Kurram’s three sub-divisions.
This city should Be a high-security, no-weapon zone. It should provide equal housing opportunities for Shia and Sunni communities. It should also offer modern facilities, including education, healthcare, and an industrial estate.
Lastly, the villages of one sect located within regions dominated by another, such as Boshehra (a Sunni-majority village in Shia-dominated Upper Kurram), must receive protection. Residents should also have access to local facilities without fear or restriction. These villages are silver linings in the dark and present hope for a harmonious Kurram.
These measures demand unwavering commitment from the government and active cooperation from local communities. Justice, accountability, and inclusivity are the cornerstones of peace. Kurram can only overcome its sectarian divide and move toward a harmonious future with collective resolve.
The writer studies at the Department of English and Applied Linguistics University of Peshawar.