Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Border Reopens After Tribal Clashes
The major Afghanistan-Pakistan border crossing at Kharlachi in the Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province reopened on Tuesday after being closed for nine days. The closure followed clashes between tribal communities near the border area, causing significant trouble for residents as essential items like food, medicines, and fuel were exhausted.
The clashes occurred between tribes in central Kurram and Balishkhel areas, spreading to Pewar, Teri Mangal, and Kanj Alizai. Elders from the Turi-Bangash tribes called for immediate action to resolve the issue peacefully. Police authorities confirmed that the clashes had stopped and peace was restored, with security forces deployed at key positions.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi reported that at least 60 people died and dozens were injured in Parachinar due to the violence. The clashes began over the construction of trenches and continued for multiple days. The tribes have been in conflict over a land dispute, with previous clashes in August resulting in 50 casualties and 226 injuries, followed by a two-month ceasefire.
The recent clashes led to the closure of the Peshawar-Parachinar road, causing severe difficulties for people in accessing basic necessities. Kurram Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud stated that measures were being taken to reopen routes and establish permanent peace with the help of tribal elders and jirga (assembly of tribal leaders). Separate jirgas discussed ways to effect a ceasefire and restore lasting peace.
Tribal leaders Jalal Bangash, Engr Hamid Hussain, Member of the National Assembly and parliamentary leader of the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), and Malik Zaman Hussain emphasized that no one would benefit from the ongoing conflict, which escalated due to administrative negligence.
Doubts Revealed
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa -: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a province in Pakistan, located in the northwestern part of the country. It shares a border with Afghanistan.
Tribal Clashes -: Tribal clashes are fights or conflicts between different groups of people who belong to different tribes. Tribes are groups of people who share the same culture, language, and history.
Kharlachi -: Kharlachi is a border crossing point between Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi -: Faisal Karim Kundi is a government official in Pakistan. A governor is someone who is in charge of a province or state.
Tribal Elders -: Tribal elders are older and respected members of a tribe. They often help make important decisions and solve problems within the tribe.
Jirga -: A jirga is a traditional assembly of leaders that makes decisions and resolves disputes in some tribal communities, especially in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Administrative Negligence -: Administrative negligence means that the people in charge did not do their job properly. This can lead to problems like conflicts or shortages of important things.
