Officials say most Tirah residents have been evacuated

2026-01-28 - 03:51

KHYBER: Even though the federal and provincial governments are locked in a blame game over displacement from the restive Tirah valley, officials estimate that around 80-85pc of all residents have been evacuated so far. Inclement weather continues to hold up the evacuation process, which has been temporarily halted. Those who had already left their homes and became stranded due to snow storms have also finally reached Bara after two days of hectic rescue operations. Heavy snowfall and the slow pace of registration at multiple locations along the 110-kilometre road from Tirah to Bara has multiplied the miseries of displaced families, with most spending sleepless nights on the road in severe cold. District administration officials told Dawn that though the exact number of families who arrived in Bara was not yet known, but by Tuesday, they estimated that only around 15pc were yet to be evacuated. Evacuation process still on hold amid inclement weather; authorities increase number of registration centres at Bara to facilitate the displaced They said the final date for evacuation had been extended after heavy snowfall and the remaining families were told to stay back till weather improves, though no exact completion date was given. Officials explained that the relaxation was given in light of weather-related hurdles, as it was imperative to give the Tirah people some ‘space’ prior to the restart of their final evacuation after an improvement in weather condition. Dawn has also learnt that families still stranded in their homes due to the suspension of the evacuation process are facing an acute shortage of edibles, as authorities were not allowing anyone into the valley. In Bara, local tribal elders, former parliamentarians and political party representatives blamed both governments for forcing families to vacate their houses to pave the way for yet another military operation. Demanding an immediate halt to the ongoing ‘inhuman’ treatment’ of displaced families, Hamidullah Jan Afridi, a former MNA, sought transparency in the registration process, and called for honouring all commitments made with the 24-member jirga of Tirah elders prior to the start of displacement. He also demanded stopping of political interference in the registration process and due compensation against all losses the people of Tirah had incurred during their displacement. Hashim Khan Afridi, president of the Bara Siyasi Ittehad, insisted the decision about the military operation and ‘forced displacement’ was jointly taken by federal and KP governments after holding a series of consultations with local tribal elders. He also demanded an open audit of all funds released in the name of Tirah IDPs and sharing required data with people of both Tirah and Bara. Registration process The district administration has also increased the number of registration centers in Bara to expedite the process and make it more transparent. Officials said that alongside the Paindi Cheena centre, four new centres had been made operational in Alamgudar, Bar Qambarkhel, Malakdin Khel and Qambarabad localities of Bara. They said that separate desks for female registration were established at all centres, as many displaced families had complained that the women had to be herded into the same centres as men, which they considered against their culture and traditions. Officials said that along with district administration officials, local tribal elders, bank staff and staff of a mobile phone company were deputed at all centres for instant verification and issuance of SIM cards to Tirah families. They said previous polio vaccination records would also be used for verification of genuine IDPs with timely provision of basic necessities. Sources in Bara informed that a majority of newly arrived families from Tirah were staying with relatives in different parts of Bara, with some having second homes while a limited number went to Peshawar suburbs where they own houses. Authorities also started registration of hundreds of Zakhakhel families at Paindi Cheena after reaching understanding with Nadra staff. The Zakhakhel families were earlier denied registration on the pretext they had acquired CNICs from Landi Kotal tehsil and are not actual residents of Tirah. Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2026