In Kurram district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the imposition of Section 144 and curfew in specific locations is being seen as the latest in a series of desperate attempts by the Paki establishment to impose control over a region it has long failed to govern effectively. The measures, announced following a security meeting, have sparked widespread criticism, particularly regarding the decision to hold Pashtun elders responsible for the recent unrest— a diversion to obscure the ineffectiveness of the Punjabi-Pak Army in the region.
The Kurram district, plagued by sectarian violence and deep mistrust between communities, recently saw a breakthrough in peace efforts, not by the Army, but through the age-old Pashtun tradition of the jirga. When the Punjabi Pakistan Army repeatedly failed to establish order after clashes erupted, it was the Pashtun tribal elders who took the initiative. Their peace accord brought a semblance of stability to the area, showcasing the resilience and leadership of the local Pashtun community in contrast to the Army’s incompetence.
However, the situation took a darker turn after the January 4 attack on the Deputy Commissioner of Kurram. Instead of addressing its own failure to maintain security, the Pak Army has now shifted the blame onto the very elders who brokered peace. The Counter-Terrorism Department has named five individuals in connection with the attack and announced a series of draconian steps. These include threatening the elders with legal action, halting compensation in the area, and even forcibly relocating populations if cooperation is not forthcoming—moves that have been condemned as heavy-handed and unjust.
The narrative being pushed by the Paki establishment is an attempt to portray the local Pashtun leadership as complicit in the unrest, deflecting attention from the Army’s failure to prevent such incidents. This tactic is aimed at undermining the credibility of the Pashtun jirga system, a cornerstone of tribal governance that has succeeded where the Army and establishment’s apparatus have failed.
The measures outlined include a series of punitive actions:
- Elders who signed the peace accord are being held responsible for its implementation and threatened with legal consequences if they fail to deliver.
- Anti-terrorism cases are being registered against individuals allegedly involved in the January 4 attack, with threats of arrests and inclusion in Schedule-IV.
- Compensation and assistance in the affected areas have been suspended until the perpetrators are handed over.
- The imposition of curfews, confiscation of weapons, and even forced displacement of populations have been proposed as part of a “clearance operation.”
These steps reflect the Punjabi Pak Army’s heavy reliance on coercion. The deployment of additional police and paramilitary forces to secure key roads, such as the Thall-Parachinar Road, further underscores the Pak Army’s inability to maintain peace without resorting to militarization.
The growing discontent among the Pashtun population adds to the already volatile situation in Kurram and the broader Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. For years, the Pashtun people have borne the brunt of Pakistan’s militarized approach to governance, with the Army prioritizing its own narrative of control over the well-being of local communities.