PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen accuses Pakistan government of obstructing efforts to promote peace in Kurram

The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader, Manzoor Pashteen, has said that the Pakistani government is impeding attempts to advance peace in Kurram. He said that state officials often blocked a Pashtun Jirga tasked with promoting peace.

According to Pashteen, the Jirga, which was made up of notable community leaders, religious professors, and elders, was repeatedly barred from visiting Kurram. According to the Balochistan Post, he said, “We have attempted three times in a row to enter Kurram to promote peace, but each time, Pakistani forces stopped us.”

Through conventional means, the Jirga sought to calm tensions and foster peace in Kurram. Pashteen said, however, that limitations were put in place by state officials to hinder their work.

Pashteen expressed his support and reiterated his commitment to the area in a statement to the Kurram residents. His words, “The pain of Kurram is our pain,” “We have made efforts for peace there, but you all are familiar with the state’s oppressive measures, such as blockades and restrictions.”

Pashteen reaffirmed the PTM’s commitment to bringing about peace in spite of the challenges. “We are committed to keeping up our efforts to bring about peace in Kurram. We will continue to work for the well-being of our people and look at other options,” he said.

Insurgent activities and persistent ethnic and sectarian tensions have been the main causes of the many assaults that have occurred in Pakistan’s Kurram area in recent years. Situated in the tribal belt close to the Afghan border, the region has seen assaults by armed factions, fights with terrorist organizations, and sectarian bloodshed. While security personnel work to restore order, schools are closed and the area is still in a state of instability.

The increase in Shia-Sunni sectarian violence in the area, particularly in Kurram Agency, which has seen many bombings, ambushes, and cross-border clashes, was one noteworthy development. These assaults have increased the vulnerability of the local populace and resulted in a considerable death toll. Although the Pakistan Army has often carried out operations to bring about calm, violence has continued on occasion.

Furthermore, a number of assaults on both military and civilian facilities have been carried out by terrorist organizations active in the area, including the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).