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Muhammad Ali Saif, advisor to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Chief Minister, expressed hope that a ceasefire agreement will be signed between the warring tribes in Kurram in the coming days, as reported by Ary News.
Speaking to Ary News, Barrister Saif noted that the Jirga on the situation in Kurram taking place in Kohat has been delayed for two days as one of the parties took time for consultations. Despite the delays, Saif remained hopeful that the warring tribes would reach a ceasefire soon and that the agreement would be signed within one or two days. "Once the agreement is signed, it will be closely monitored and strict action will be taken against anyone who violates the deal," he added. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cabinet had already declared Kurram disaster-hit, imposing an emergency amid a severe shortage of food and medicine supplies due to road closure after the violent sectarian attacks killed more than 100 people in the district, Ary News reported. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur emphasized that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is working to resolve issues through negotiations and tribal councils. He vowed to protect the lives and properties of citizens without compromising the government's authority. Officials briefed the meeting that roads would only be reopened after an agreement between the parties involved. Social media accounts spreading sectarian hate will be blocked, Ary News said. The violence in Kurram saw the death of at least 130 people with many left injured and wounded. The clashes started in the wake of an attack on a convoy that claimed at least 43 lives, the Dawn news outlet noted. Residents of Kurram have reported food and medicine shortages in parts of the district which borders Afghanistan, as the government struggles to end the reignited feud between tribes because of decades-old land disputes. To resolve the issue, a Jirga continues making efforts for long-term peace in the district. The jirga has been holding talks with members from both warring tribes but a permanent peace deal is elusive. As per Dawn, the provincial government has already said that the situation in Kurram will normalise only after the armed groups voluntarily surrender heavy weapons and vacate the bunkers which are being used to target each other. Amid these efforts, the Apex Committee of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reached a unanimous decision for both parties in the Kurram conflict to surrender their weapons in 15 days. (ANI)
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