Pakistan: Kurram Agency tribes sign peace agreement

MURREE: The warring Bangash and Turi tribes of Kurram Agency signed a written declaration for permanent peace in Murree on Thursday.

The rival tribes agreed they would vacate occupied bunkers and return to their respective areas. In the case of a violation of the agreement, the offending tribe would have to pay a fine of sixty million rupees.

According to media reports, the jirga of warring tribes was first held in Islamabad and then in Murree. Fifteen members each from the Shia and Sunni groups also participated in the jirga, which included 23 members from a reconciliatory delegation.

According to the declaration, roads closed for the last one and a half year would be re-opened, Shia and Sunni groups would return to their areas, all bunkers would be controlled by the Frontier Constabulary and the dead bodies would be exchanged between the tribes.

Peshawar-Parachinar Road will be opened today, with the declaration assigning responsibility for its security to the government.

A jirga will be held on November 2 that will arrange for all tribal groups to vacate each other's territory within Kurram Agency.

Parts of Kurram Agency, particularly Parachinar and surrounding areas, have been suffering from a blockade which has led to a severe food and medicinal crisis. More than a thousand people from both the tribes have been killed during the skirmishes between the two tribes over the last two years.