DERA ISMAIL KHAN:
A grand jirga in Kurram district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday failed to break the impasse between the warring sides over surrendering heavy weapons to the tribal elders, the mandatory condition set by the authorities to open the roads to and from the district.
Because of a persisting deadlock, the Jirga, which met here at the Kohat Fort with Kohat Division Commissioner Moatasim Billah Shah in the chair, could not finalise the final peace agreement. As a result, protest against the road closures in the district continued for the ninth consecutive day.
The agreement could not be signed because of a lack of attendance of the Jirga members, according to sources. “Both parties concur on many points of the agreement, but one party had the reservations over a clause about depositing heavy weapons to the tribal elders,” a source said.
Various points were discussed in the Jirga. The authorities made it clear to the Jirga members that unless heavy weapons were surrendered, the government would not take the risk of opening the roads. One party suggested that weapons should be submitted to the government by both sides.
Officials informed the Jirga that helicopter service had been started across the district, delivering medicines and other supplies. Provincial government’s Adviser on Health Ehtesham Ali said that more than 16,000 patients had been provided treatment at the Parachinar DHQ Hospital since December 13.
Meanwhile, in Bagan, citizens have also blocked roads, while in Parachinar, despite the severe cold, a sit-in against the closure of roads continued for the ninth consecutive day.
