At least seven people were killed on Tuesday after unidentified assailants opened fire on a passenger vehicle in Lower Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to officials.
Police said the attack took place near Ahmad Khan Kalle, where the gunmen ambushed the vehicle and fled immediately after the assault. Security forces quickly cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to track down those involved.
The bodies of the victims were shifted to the THQ Hospital, while investigators are examining possible motives behind the incident. District Police Officer (DPO) Malik Habib described the attack as an attempt to disrupt the fragile peace in the region.
Local lawmaker MNA Engineer Hameed Hussain strongly condemned the violence, calling it a conspiracy by anti-peace elements that would not succeed.
The tragedy comes just days after a major regional Jirga on law and order concluded in Peshawar, chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur. Tribal elders, lawmakers, and officials from Upper, Central, and Lower Kurram pledged unity and support for peace initiatives.
During the session, participants praised the government’s development package for Kurram, emergency services including helicopter support, and reiterated their rejection of terrorism in all forms. Elders from both Sunni and Shia communities vowed to work together to maintain stability.
The Jirga also stressed the importance of improved engagement with Afghanistan, recommending the creation of a joint body comprising provincial and federal representatives, security agencies, and local elders. It further urged the government to open cross-border trade routes to create jobs and strengthen livelihoods.
Despite recent progress through dialogue and development, the latest attack highlights the ongoing challenges to lasting peace in the tribal belt.
