Lack of basic services, weak law enforcement worsen crisis in Tirah valley

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], December 14 : The worsening conditions in Tirah Valley have exposed significant failures in Pakistani governance, with security officials citing the lack of basic services, ineffective administration, and insufficient law enforcement as major issues in this remote area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as reported by The Express Tribune (TET).

Frontier Corps officials indicated that the void caused by inadequate governance has been taken advantage of by extremist and criminal organisations, including Fitna-al-Khawarij, which they claim fosters instability and finances their actions through drug trafficking and extortion.

The Inspector General of the Frontier Corps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa North mentioned that the province has a 1,224-kilometre-long border with Afghanistan, with around 717 kilometres under the supervision of the FC. He explained that the difficult landscape includes snow-laden, rugged mountains, towering peaks, and narrow passes, complicating the task of border management, according to the TET report.

Discussing security issues, the IG noted that last year in Bagh Maidan, 64 FC personnel lost their lives and 198 were injured, emphasising that no other organisation has endured such a significant number of casualties in that region. He pointed out that certain areas, like Duatoi, have narrow passages where effective checks cannot be enforced due to a lack of legal authority.

Additionally, he highlighted that only three police officers are assigned to oversee the entire local population, reflecting a critical shortage of law enforcement personnel. Wing Commander Colonel Waqas remarked on the striking absence of civil administration, noting that there is no district administration, police presence, or hospital for a distance of up to 60 kilometres in Tirah Valley. He also mentioned that the region lacks government schools and appointed teachers, thereby denying children access to education, as stated in the TET report.

He characterised drug trafficking as a significant issue in Tirah Valley and accused Fitna-al-Khawarij of being involved. He stated that revenues from narcotics and extortion are being used against security forces and civilians. Officials cautioned that ongoing mismanagement and the breakdown of local governance structures are enabling militant and criminal groups to further entrench themselves in the area, worsening both security and humanitarian crises for the residents, as noted in the TET report.

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