By Staff Reporter
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur announced on Wednesday that tribal councils, known as jirgas, will begin Aug. 2 to address tensions over a military operation in Bajaur district, which the provincial government opposes unless consulted by federal authorities.
The move comes amid a three-day curfew in 16 areas of Bajaur, set to be lifted on Wednesday.
The operation, “Operation Sarbakaf,” began on Tuesday with helicopter and artillery support, targeting terrorists in Bajaur’s Lowi Mamund tehsil. Though official confirmation remains pending, local media reported that at least four terrorists were killed, 12 wounded, and 10 captured alive. Locals say two civilians, including a child, died, and eight others, including two minors and a woman, were injured.
In a video statement, Gandapur urged unity among government, institutions, and the public, warning of a “conspiracy” to divide them. “”The public and all institutions have to work together to establish peace,” he said. “We have to achieve peace because our future depends on it.” He warned of a “conspiracy” to sow discord among these groups, insisting that those responsible must be “exposed.”
Gandapur underscored the state’s intent to pursue not only terrorists but also their facilitators. “Facilitators of terrorism need to be targeted because it defies our faith, our laws, and our traditions,” he said. He accused terrorists of exploiting populated areas to provoke retaliatory strikes that harm civilians, eroding trust in the armed forces. “This is why we need to expel them from our cities,” he declared. “We will not tolerate their presence in populated areas.”
The chief minister framed the jirgas as a platform for dialogue, starting at the divisional level with stakeholders and political figures from across the province. “We will all sit together and have consultations on how to alleviate people’s reservations and concerns,” he said. A grand jirga will follow, where the government plans to unveil its policy and next steps. “Nobody wants any operation because of the damage it causes,” Gandapur added, proposing investigations into terrorist presence to avoid collateral damage.
The announcement follows sharp resistance to the Bajaur operation from tribal elders and political leaders, who cite fears of displacement and civilian losses. On Tuesday, hundreds gathered at Bajaur’s Umary Chowk to protest what PTI MPA Anwar Zeb Khan called an “unannounced operation,” echoing a demonstration the previous day in War Mamund tehsil demanding civilian safety.
At a PTI parliamentary party meeting in Peshawar late Tuesday, Gandapur reiterated his stance. “We are not in favour of any military operation without the provincial government being taken into confidence.” He decried the “eroding relationship of confidence between our army and our public” due to civilian casualties in Bajaur, warning that this “lack of trust is failing the country’s fight against terrorism.” The meeting resolved to lift the Bajaur curfew on Wednesday, though an official announcement is pending, and pledged to debate the operation in the KP Assembly before deciding further action.
The gathering also rolled back the KP Actions (in aid of civil power) Ordinance 2019, which had legalized detention centers tied to past military efforts, with legislation expected on Friday. Gandapur ordered deputy commissioners to seek KP home department approval before imposing curfews and shifted powers under Section 144, used to enact curfews, to the department. “We are standing with our public,” he said. “We cannot ruin our soil for those decisions that are imposed on us without our consultation.”
In a separate provincial apex committee meeting, officials briefed attendees on security challenges, focusing on merged districts. Participants pledged joint efforts against terrorism and better coordination among civil, police, military, and intelligence bodies. “Terrorism has become a scourge that the government, the public, and institutions must work together to eradicate on a permanent basis,” a statement from the meeting read.
Criticism of the operation spans the political spectrum. PTI figures, including MPAs Dr. Hamidur Rehman and Mohammad Nisar Khan, former MNA Gul Zafar Khan, and MNA Mubarakzeb Khan, have joined Zeb in condemning the action and curfew. Former Jamaat-i-Islami senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan urged an immediate halt, while the Awami National Party’s Senator Aimal Wali Khan and provincial president Mian Iftikhar Hussain questioned its legality under Article 245, which mandates provincial approval for military operations.
In a separate meeting to review the law and order situation, Gandapur expressed condolences for “civilians and security personnel martyred in the Bajaur incident,” announcing Rs10 million for bereaved families and Rs2.5 million for the injured. KP Chief Secretary and Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed attended alongside other officials.
The unrest follows a deadly clash days earlier in Khyber district’s Tirah Valley, where seven protesters were killed and 16 injured. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the incident as an attack by “khawarij”, a term for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, though local media quoting sources and protesters attribute the gunfire to security personnel managing the crowd. Compensation mirroring Bajaur’s was announced after talks with Tirah elders.
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