KOHAT (KP): Inspector General Police has informed a high level huddle here on Saturday (22nd Feb, 2025) that 50 miscreants involved in recent attacks on conveys were nabbed by LEA personnel.
It may be recalled that unidentified militants attacked a convoy of 130 vehicles, escorted by Police, other LEA personnel and two army gunship helicopters, moving from Thall to Parachinar through Chapri Gate, near Char Khel area here on 17th February.
At 12.30 pm the militants opened fire at the convey at Ochat Kalay (near Mandori in Lower Kurram). Two army gunship helicopters and the members of LEAs on the ground retaliated. The intermittent firing went on for a couple of hours claiming life of an army soldier and wounding seven others (a cop, 2 truck drivers and 4 civilians).
When people were looting the stranded trucks, LEA personnel attempted to stop them at 6pm. The militants again opened fire at the FC vehicle wounding five FC men. Again at 8.30pm when a convey of FC’s Quick Response Force reached the place in order to rescue the injured soldiers they were attacked by the militants near Govt High School. The skirmish claimed lives of for four FC men. Militants also damaged three vehicles.
According to details, the convoy (that also included five oil tankers and a truck loaded with medicines) was looted. Nevertheless, 113 vehicles reached Parachinar with much needed relief goods, under the cover of LEA’s firepower. It is pertinent to mention here that 183 bunkers of the militants have been demolished by local authorities in order to contain lawlessness.
It may be recalled that on 31st January, Saeed Manan Khan, posted as Kurram Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) was injured, along with 3 others accompanying him, in a firing incident in Boshehra. According to the medical superintendent at the Parachinar District Headquarters Hospital, Saeed Khan, escorted by Police, was visiting Kurram’s Boshehra area to implement the ceasefire. Saeed Manan Khan was taken to the DHQ hospital where he was operated upon.
On 4th January, one day after signing the peace agreement between two warring Shia and Sunni tribes, when Deputy Commissioner Kurram Javedullah Mehsud was travelling near Bagan, unidentified gunmen pumped 3 bullets into his body and also injured 6 of his guards.
Earlier, an operation was carried out against terrorists who had attacked a Parachinar-bound Aid-Convoy on 16th January, with heavy guns and rockets, killing 10 people including two passengers, two soldiers and six truck drivers (who were tortured and shot dead with hands tied). Before operation, Camps for Temporary Displaced Persons (TDP) had been arranged to make sure that the area was clear of peaceful citoyens.
TDP Camps were established at Govt Boys Degree College, Thall, Govt Technical College, under-construction Rescue 1122 compound and under-construction judicial building. Operation was carried out by the Military in Ochat, Charkhel, Dadkamar and Zarana. According to the concerned authorities a large cache of arms were recovered and 8 bunkers constructed by the militants there had been demolished.
The history of Shia-Sunni skirmishes in the region is decades old. In the latest upsurge of violence that commenced last November (2025), 150 people lost their lives when Aid-Convey carrying food, medicine and other essentials to 400,000 Shias in Parachinar, was attacked.
Militants, who fired rockets to destroy vehicles, looted 20 trucks (laden with food, other essentials) and torched them. Twenty-one vehicles managed to retreat. Only one truck successfully delivered goods at Parachinar and managed to return safely. LEA personnel retaliated, killing six attackers and injuring ten.
Apparently the shooters wanted to stop the aid caravan from reaching Kurram that remained sans supplies due to road block. While there had been reports that 100 children died because of non-availability of medicine caused by the closure of main arteries, a heli service had been delivering drugs and other goods to the citizens.
After Shia and Sunni skirmishes last November, a peace agreement was signed on 1st Jan, but the route connecting Parachinar remained blocked. Tribal elders converged at Kohat Fort where GCO 9 Division Major General Zulfiqar Bhatti had arranged a meeting (jirga) to figure out a way to end the skirmishes between two tribes.
The Apex Committee had decided to dismantle all the bunkers and remove all firearms in order to ameliorate the deteriorating law and order state of affairs. It was agreed that nobody will possess unlicensed weapons.
It was agreed that after the passage of the 2nd Feb 2025 deadline, law enforces would confiscate all the heavy weapons in the area. It is pertinent to mention here that due to closure of exits and entrances, inhabitants are facing a grave dearth of food and medicine. Media was informed that:
1) Arrangements are being made for the convoy voyaging towards Kurram;
2) As decided by the Apex Committee, the region will be made weapons and bunkers free;
3) According to the truce both the tribes will present a comprehensive plan in a fortnight apropos modus operandi of surrendering the weapons;
4) Display and use of weapons will be banned;
5) Collection of contributions for the sake of buying weapons will not be allowed;
6) Construction of bunkers will be illegal;
7) All the bunkers in the area will be demolished in a month;
8) Any group that attempts to invade other’s area would be reckoned as after the demolition of bunkers will be deemed a terrorist.
Newspakistan.tv
