Islamabad, Jan 30 Pakistan's federal government and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government trading blame on each other for Tirah Valley exposes the divergence on counter-terrorism policy, something that would benefit the anti-state elements and increase the sufferings of the residents who had to migrate from the native areas amid harsh winter season, a report has stated.
"That Tirah Valley is a troubled spot in the context of the state writ goes without saying. Credible reports suggest that the Valley bordering Afghanistan and located in Orakzai District and the southern part of Khyber District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, is serving as a sanctuary for terrorists belonging to a host of banned outfits, including Islamic State-Khorasan, Lashkar-i-Islam, Jamaatul Ahrar, etc," an editorial in Pakistan's leading daily 'The Express Tribune' stated.
According to the newspaper, the federal government is entitled and duty bound to eliminate terrorists from the region while the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, being the representatives of the people of the province, has the right to raise genuine concerns and intervene in the actions of the federal government.
The Express Tribune further stated, "However, the way the Centre and the provincial government have come out against each other on a matter of state security does not constitute the responsible handling that the situation so direly warrants."
"Instead of cooperating and coordinating with each other to address what is turning out to be a humanitarian crisis, the two sides are trading blame, only to expose the divergence at the state level on the counterterrorism policy – something that would surely go on to benefit the anti-state elements, besides adding to the sufferings of the people who have had to migrate from their native areas amid harsh winters, exacerbated by the reigning climate change phenomenon," it added.
Pakistan's federal government has insisted that there is seasonal migration taking place. However, the locals, who are not nomads, are forced to flee the conflict and move to safer zones. The daily suggested that the state and the centre must focus on the problems faced by migrants and provide them a safe travel and a proper shelter with adequate boarding, lodging and medical facilities until the time situation becomes normal and they are able to return to their homes.
Earlier this week, a report stated that the Pakistani Army, which dominates the country’s domestic and foreign affairs, has been accused of widespread human rights violations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, long-plagued by militancy and dozens of Pakistani military operations since the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan.
It added that over the past two decades, major military offensives targetting militants have killed civilians as well as insurgents and displaced millions.
According to a report in the Eurasia Review, tens of thousands of people have left the Tirah valley in KP, travelling in crammed cars and packed buses ahead of a planned military operation against suspected militants in the region.
“The Pakistani Army has set a January 25 deadline for the evacuation of Tirah, a valley of some 150,000 people near the border with Afghanistan. The strategic area is a stronghold of the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) extremist group, which is waging an increasingly potent insurgency against Islamabad,” the report noted.
“I have a shop, which was my source of living. That shop is gone now and so are my earnings. What should I do now?” Eurasia Review quoted Saeed Khan as saying, who rented a truck to transport 22 members of his extended family and their belongings from Tirah.
According to the report, Khan is among the 80,000 people who have so far left Tirah, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. Additionally, it said, many residents voice opposition to the planned army offensive, describing the evacuation as “chaotic and dangerous”.
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