Sectarianism in Kurram Agency
Ibn ul Hasan Shah
Kurram Tribal Agency is one of the most scenic and picturesque valley of
Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) of Pakistan, having the
geographic distinction of sharing a border with Afghanistan on three
sides. The area forming the present day Kurram Agency was a part of
Afghanistan before the Second Afghan War of 1878-79. The Kurram Valley
got their independence in 1880, however, the administration was
undertaken by the British government in 1890 not as a British district,
but as a loosely administered area.
In Lord Curzon’s reorganization of the frontier in 1900-1901, the
British troops were withdrawn from the forts in the Kurram Valley, and
were replaced by the Kurram militia, reorganized in two battalions, and
chiefly drawn from the Turi tribe. Kurram Agency is the only tribal
region in the country’s semi-autonomous seven tribal territories which
has a large number of Shiites - the rest of the six tribal agencies are
overwhelmingly inhabited by Sunni Muslims. According to official
figures, its total population is 500,000, with 58 percent Sunni and 42
percent Shiite. The majority of the Shiites live in the upper part of
the Kurram Agency, while Sunnis inhabit lower and central Kurram. The
population of Kurram valley consists of a number of tribes, namely Turi,
Bangash, Parachamkani, Massozai, Alisherzai, Zaimusht, Mangal, Kharotai,
Ghalgi and Hazara. There was also a sizeable sikh population but most of
them have left the valley. The multi-ethnic communities share common
cultural, linguistic and historical heritage, but due to a history of
sectarian violence the cities are bifurcated according to sect, and
there are no longer any mixed localities. Sectarian violence is not a
new phenomenon in Kurram Agency where well over 4000 people have been
killed in clashes between the Sunni and Shia tribes since the decade of
1980s. However, the clashes going on for nearly two years have become
more alarming because of the reported involvement of Taliban in the
ongoing violence. Parachinar and the agency were predominantly Shia
until a large influx of Sunnis started with the US-Russia war in
Afghanistan, when the Mujahideen used it to raid Afghanistan. With the
rise in Sunni numbers, there was also a rise in sectarian violence. When
the US pressurized the Taliban in Afghanistan, they moved to the
adjoining Tribal Areas of Pakistan and re-grouped and re-organized
there. Now, resurgent for the eighteen months or so, they have been
building up their presence in Swat, Bajaur, Khyber, Dara Adam Khel and
the suburbs of Peshawar. It was this resurgence coupled with their
desire for an alternate route into Afghanistan that has made the Taliban
interested in Parachinar. In recent years the Kurram Valley has once
again assumed a very strategic position and has been an area of intense
military activity between the Taliban and American and allied forces.
The fresh violence had been engineered by Al Qaeda in order to divert
the attention of the Pakistan army from its on-going operations against
the jihadis in the Swat Valley. The violence between Sunni Bangash and
Shia Turi tribesmen has plagued the agency bordering Afghanistan for one
and a half years. As many as 900 people have been killed in the
sectarian violence in Kurram Agency since April last year. Land routes
to most parts of the Kurram valley have been cut off from the rest of
the country, triggering a severe shortage of food and medical supplies.
People coming to Peshawar have been forced to travel via the Paktia
province of Afghanistan. In December, 2007, there was a fresh flare-up
of clashes between the Shia Turi tribals and Sunni tribals belonging to
al Qaeda and the newly-formed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Some
leaders of the Shiite community have blamed the Sunni Taliban and
al-Qaeda-linked foreign militants in the tribal region for the latest
wave of violence in Kurram.
While condemning violence in Khurram Agency, Pakistan religious leaders
foresee a conspiracy to ignite the fire of sectarianism meant to
destabilize Pakistan. The people of the area urged to foil the designs
of those elements who are trying to divide Muslims of Kurram Agency.
Islam is a religion of peace and there is no room in it for anyone to
impose his “brand of religion” on others. The only way forward is to
promote the true Islamic values of accommodation, tolerance and peace
and ignore those out to spread darkness, narrow mindedness, extremism
and intolerance. These forces are presenting a warped image of Islam and
are thereby damaging it enormously. It is matter of immense concern that
why these values of forgiveness, patience and tolerance have vanished
from the society. The pathway out of the current predicament is to open
the issue for stakeholders’ debate and let the political leaders to
address the real issues facing the people through constructive dialogue.
In this connection, a 100 member grand jirga of Kurram Agency has
brokered a peace deal between warring sectarian groups in the region.
Under the agreement, the two sides agreed to: (1) Exchange kidnapped
people (2) Reopen all roads to ensure supply of foodstuff, medicines and
other essential items. (3) Allow the displaced people to return to their
villages. (4) Bunkers would be vacated and handed over to the Frontier
Corps. (5) A fine of Rs 60 million will be imposed for any violation of
the agreement. The tribal elders promised to cooperate with the
government in maintaining peace.
The Government is earnestly endeavouring to resolve the sectarian issue
and bring the Tribal Areas at par with other four provinces of the
country with special focus on education, developmental work, political
stability, and pro-poor policies. The armed clashes in Kurram Agency are
not sectarian but some hidden external hands are involved in the
conflict. Miscreants and militants are the main factors for resurgence
of violence in Kurram agency. The people of Kurram agency are fully
aware of the fact that the war in the area is not in their interest.
The Government should curb the activities of conspirators and save
Parachinar from becoming an incubator and a launching pad for sectarian
violence all over Pakistan.
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