Islamabad (Newsman): Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the chairman of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP), has criticized the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government led by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, calling the unrest in Kurram a failure of the province government.
PPP chairman said, “The government’s silence in this turmoil is tantamount to being an ally of terrorists [….] we condemn the criminal negligence of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) government.”
The politician’s remarks come in the context of a recent spike in violence that has resulted in numerous deaths in the district.
Kurram has been the scene of deadly tribal battles for months; this week, they broke out again, leaving scores dead and numerous others injured.
At least 44 people were killed in gunmen’s Thursday attack on convoys of civilian vehicles, which sparked the most recent tribal hostilities.
Also read: 15 Killed in Deadly Clashes in Lower Kurram
Over 70 individuals have died as a result of the most recent wave of violence that has engulfed the neighborhood.
According to confirmation from KP government spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif a day earlier, the conflicting tribes had agreed to a seven-day ceasefire.
He said, “The two parties have agreed to return each other’s hostages and bodies.”
The official added that on Saturday, the government delegation flew to Parachinar, the capital of Kurram, to meet with representatives from both sides.
According to Bilawal, who elaborated on the situation, people were not even safe in their homes, and he lamented the tremendous loss in recent days.
Bilawal said, “On the one hand, the Kurram district is burning in the fire of unrest and, on the other hand, the KP government is absent from the scene.”
Also read: Journalist Rehan’s Home Set on Fire amid in Ongoing Violence in Lower Kurram
He said that the PTI administration had failed to protect citizens’ lives and property and that the province government should be in charge of upholding law and order.
Additionally, the PPP chairman instructed KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi to submit a thorough report on the circumstances in the Kurram area.
Human rights organizations have expressed their disapproval and concerns about the recent violence in Kurram, which has also justified Bilawal’s response.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), in response to the deaths in the district, has called on authorities to give the “alarming frequency of clashes” in the area “urgent attention” this month, warning that the situation has reached “the proportions of a humanitarian crisis.”