A FRESH round of bloodletting has again affected routine life in KP’s Kurram district. The trigger for the latest deadly clashes is reportedly a controversial video said to contain sectarian content. Long-running land disputes have also fuelled tensions. Meanwhile, arguments of any nature quickly take on an ugly sectarian colour in this sensitive region. Going by different sources, the number of those killed in the clashes appears to be between nine and 20. Security forces have moved in and local-level jirgas are trying to defuse the situation. This is the third major violent episode in Kurram this year. A number of people, including several teachers, were gunned down in May, while deadly violence flared up in July over contested parcels of land. Those familiar with the region say that an official land commission was due to issue its ruling when the latest round of hostilities broke out.

The problem in Kurram, a former tribal agency bordering Afghanistan, is that the state only reacts to violence. This keeps the lid on underlying tensions for a brief period, then disputes explode at the slightest provocation. A long-term solution is needed to bring a more durable peace to this troubled area. It should involve the state, tribal elders as well as the clergy, as all these actors have the power to help address the root causes of violence. Where land disputes are concerned, judicious decisions must be reached and accepted by all so that the region can move ahead. Where sectarian problems are concerned, clerics in particular should put in extra efforts to douse the flames if disputes of a communal nature occur. Given the nature of sectarian tensions, these can spread very quickly and affect communal peace in the rest of Pakistan. That is why the state must be alert and keep a vigilant eye on those who seek to disturb communal stability. In this regard, sectarian polemics on social media can spread like wildfire. All it takes is one troublemaker with a smartphone to cause great havoc. While censorship is undesirable, the state must work with tech firms to identify and disable accounts involved in spreading hate material and promoting violence, while legal proceedings against the culprits are also necessary. And in case such material does go viral — as often happens — the clerics and community elders must step in to cool tempers.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2023