PESHAWAR, Aug 31 (APP): Member National Assembly (MNA) from Kurram Agency, Sajid Hussain Turi has said that some external forces were involved in the current clashes in the agency and urged elders of other tribal agencies to come forward and play their role in maintaining peace in the area. “The armed clashes in Kurram Agency are not sectarian but some hidden external hands are involved in the conflict,” Sajid Hussain Turi said this while talking to APP here on Sunday.

The MNA said that local tribesmen wanted peace in the agency but some invisible hand were foiling their efforts.

“Two suicide attacks occurred for the first time in the history of the agency, which shows that it was not sectarian clashes but some external hands are involved in disturbing peace of the agency,” he added.  “Miscreants and militants are the main factors for resurgence of violence in Kurram agency,” he added.

Sajid Hussain said that if the situation were not improved in Kurram Agency then it would have very negative impacts on the other parts of the country.

He said that local tribal elders could play very positive role in maintaining peace in the agency according to the tribal traditions but due to influence of militants their role has become very limited.  “Local elders are forced to sit in their houses and they cannot play their role due to fear of the terrorists,” he added.  The MNA said that due to closure of the Thall-Parachinar road from the last ten months and power suspension from last 15 days, the inhabitants of the agency were facing great hardships.

“The entire agency is without electricity for the last one month, causing acute shortage of drinking water in the agency,” he added.  He demanded of the government to take concrete measures for opening of the main Thall-Parachinar road so that food items and medicines could supply to the area in the month of Ramazan.  The MNA said that he held meetings with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Co-Chairman of PPP Asif Ali Zardari and Advisor to Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik and they assured that special attention would be given to bring durable peace in Kurram Agency.

“The security forces should tight security at the border so that militants could not enter to Kurram Agency,” he added.