Defence Minister says Tirah Winter migration miscast as Military Operation

2026-01-27 - 15:31

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif rubbished reports of military operation in Tirah Valley, calling them “completely false” and accusing the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government of exploiting routine winter migration to mask governance failures and alleged links with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Speaking at charged joint presser with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Ikhtiar Wali Khan, Asif said there had been no military operation in Tirah Valley for several years, insisting that the recent movement of residents was a centuries-old seasonal migration triggered by heavy snowfall in the high-altitude region. “Tirah Valley becomes uninhabitable every winter,” Asif said, noting that the area sits at an altitude of around 17,000 feet and is completely cut off during peak snowfall. He said migration from the valley has been documented since the British colonial era, dismissing claims of forced displacement as “deliberate misinformation.” The defence minister accused KP government of manufacturing a crisis by portraying routine migration as the result of a military operation, alleging the move was aimed at shifting responsibility for the absence of basic governance in the region. He said residents traditionally relocate to safer areas during winter, often leaving behind family members to guard homes and land. Asif revealed that a jirga of 12 to 13 tribal elders was convened on December 11 and held talks with the provincial government. He added that some jirga members also met representatives of the banned TTP, after which a migration and relief package was finalised through official documentation. Stressing that the process was entirely civilian-led, Asif said neither the army nor any security institution was involved in the negotiations or relocation arrangements. He recalled that while a military operation had been conducted in the area years ago, it had ended following the return of internally displaced persons. Turning to development failures, the defence minister painted a grim picture of Tirah Valley, saying the area lacked hospitals, schools and police stations, despite repeated promises made to local elders. He alleged that nearly 12,000 acres of land were under hemp cultivation, generating massive profits that he claimed benefitted either influential political figures or militant networks. Asif said federal attempts to establish schools, police posts and the writ of the state were being actively resisted because they threatened entrenched interests. He went further, alleging that elements within the provincial government had connections with the TTP and were deliberately politicising the situation to conceal administrative collapse. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar backed Asif’s claims by citing British-era gazetteers dating back to 1880, which documented winter migration by Afridi and Aka Khel tribes from Tirah Valley. He added that climate change had delayed the migration this year, further fuelling confusion. Ikhtiar Wali Khan raised serious questions over a Rs4 billion relief package announced for migrants, pointing out that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had governed the province for 13 years. He demanded accountability over how much of the funds actually reached affected families and warned that migrants could be used for political mobilisation ahead of protests planned for February 8. Asif reiterated that Tirah Valley becomes completely snowbound each winter, making permanent habitation impossible, but clarified that intelligence-based operations against militants would continue. He said peace was a fundamental right of residents and that jirga elders remained respected community leaders. On the wider security landscape, Asif said there was no proposal to roll back the merger of former FATA with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but warned of a sharp surge in terrorism over the past two to three years, particularly after the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan. He said Pakistan had held multiple rounds of talks with Afghan authorities to address the issue. Devolution, not illusion