News Desk

PESHAWAR / KURRAM: The two warring sides in Kurram are likely to sign an agreement today (Tuesday) that would end the violence that has plagued the restive region for several weeks now, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government said on Monday.

“We are sure that an agreement would be signed during the meeting of the Grand Jirga, convened ” KP government spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif told reporters at the Peshawar Press Club.

Former federal minister Sajid Ali Turi, who is also a member of the Grand Jirga, told Dawn that district administration had convened the Jirga in Kohat, wherein a peace agreement will be singed and other steps for lasting peace, including opening of roads, would be followed.

Barrister Saif, on the other hand, said that one of the warring sides had agreed to sign the peace agreement after through deliberations, while the other side asked for two days to discuss the proposals, on Saturday. “The Jirga will meet 11am on Tuesday and they will join it,” he said.

He said that de-weaponisation of the district was one of the thorniest issues, which led to a prolonged delay in the signing of an accord. He said that KP Apex Committee and provincial cabinet had also decided that the both parties have to surrender their weapons. He said that both sides would surrender their weapons and demolish the bunkers, while the road to the area would be opened in the next phase.

Barrister Saif said that if the road was reopened while both sides retained their weapons, then tensions could flare up again and spread across the entire district.

“As a precautionary measure, we are not going open the road till the signing of the peace accord and government is assured that both parties are ready to surrender their weapons,” he said.He said that as long as both parties possessed heavy weaponry, then the authorities could be establish peace in the district.