The Ministry of Information has said that neither the armed forces nor the federal government has issued any orders for the “depopulation” of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tirah Valley, where residents have been vacating their houses amid concerns about a planned military operation against militants.
“The government has taken notice of misleading claims in circulation regarding alleged ‘depopulation’ from Tirah Valley on the orders of the army.
“These assertions are baseless, malicious, and driven by ulterior motives aimed at creating alarm among the public. No directive has been issued for the depopulation of Tirah by the federal government and the armed forces,” a post on the ministry’s X account said on Sunday.
The ministry further maintained in its statement that law enforcement agencies had been routinely conducting “targeted, intelligence-based operations, strictly against terrorist elements, with full care to avoid disruption to civilian life, for which no migration is needed or being undertaken”.
“It may be noted that the local population is increasingly concerned over the presence of khawarij (a term that the state uses for terrorists) and desire peace and stability in Tirah,” the ministry said.
It recalled that the KP government’s Relief, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Department had issued a notification for the release of funds — reportedly Rs4 billion — on December 26, 2025.
The ministry said the purpose for the release of the funds was stated to be the “anticipated temporary and voluntary movement of population from certain localities of Tirah (Bagh)”. Moreover, the ministry continued, the provincial department had also “requested the facilitation of advance preparedness and relief-related arrangements, including transportation, food support, cash assistance, and establishment and management of transit and registration points”.
It further quoted the notification as stating that “the deputy commissioner, Khyber (where Tirah is located), has further conveyed that the proposed voluntary movement reflects the views and preferences of the local population, articulated through a representative jirga convened at the district level, taking into account seasonal, logistical and contextual considerations, as well as a on-camp based modality”.
“Hence, any stated position of the provincial government or their officials being conveyed to the media that the said migration has anything to do with the armed forces is false and fabricated, given with mala fide intent to gain political capital and, unfortunately, malign security institutions and, therefore, highly regrettable,” the ministry’s statement said.
While the ministry’s statement does not specifically refer to any statement by the KP government or its officials in particular, it comes against the backdrop of the PTI-led provincial government distancing itself from the developments in Tirah.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also reiterated the clarification while speaking to reporters in Kot Momin later in the day.
He asserted that people “relocate voluntarily” every year when the winter weather gets harsh.
Stressing that any operations conducted are intelligence-based and “area-specific”, Tarar said, “Those elements giving the impression that it is a forced evacuation are giving a wrong impression and spreading misinformation.”
Asked about the objections raised by KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Tarar advised him to “pay attention to the public’s issues”.
“Establish Safe City [project], CTD force and forensic labs, make people’s lives easier, improve law and order, counter terrorism,” the minister said. “Put all resources to use is my advice to him.”
PTI reacts
KP CM Afridi has repeatedly voiced his opposition to military operations, objecting to “decisions taken behind closed doors”.
He particularly mentioned Tirah in a post on social media platform X on January 15, alleging that the decision of “operation in Tirah and forced displacement of people was taken behind closed doors”.
The CM further alleged that “terrorism has been foisted on us” and “people are being forcibly displaced due to a military operation, the decision for which was taken behind closed doors”.
Following today’s statement by the Ministry of Information, he said it would lead to “conflict between the provincial government and institutions and the Centre”.
Addressing a rally in KP’s Barikot, he said, “Whatever little trust among ourselves is no more. It is my order that from now onwards, I direct my government that from now onwards, all our correspondence with any institution or the federal government will be in writing and its evidence [will be kept]” so that they don’t walk back.
“They impose decisions taken behind closed doors and walk back when the damage is done.
“They issued a notification [sic] that the people of Tirah are relocating voluntarily. So, I now announce that coming Sunday, I will call a jirga of the Afridis and ask them whether they left willingly or were expelled.
“And if it emerges that the [ministry’s statement] is a lie, I will personally take my people back to Tirah,” he said.
“If this statement is not withdrawn or an apology is not issued within the next two days, I will call a jirga of the Afridis followed by one of the Pakhtuns,” he added.
Separately, the PTI’s KP chapter posted on X that the federal government’s assertion that people had been relocating from Tirah voluntarily was “ridiculous”.
“Who would leave their home willingly while taking into account the weather conditions, extreme cold and snowfall?” the party questioned.
It said that “security and government officials had asked for holding a jirga of tribal elders, which decided that people should relocate to prevent collateral damage during an operation by security forces”.
“Some people left willingly, and those who stayed back were expelled forcefully,” the party alleged.
Displacement from Tirah
Tribal elders from the restive valley had agreed to the vacation of houses by its residents from January 10. The agreement was reached on December 20, 2025 after weeks of talks with security and administration officials.
Sources in a 24-member jirga that negotiated the agreement regarding displacement with the district administration had told Dawn at the time that all residents would vacate the Tirah valley by January 25, 2026, paving the way for the military operation against all proscribed terrorist groups currently holed up in the valley.
The federal government’s clarification today comes on the same day as the reported deadline of January 25 for evacuation.
Earlier this week, the Khyber district administration had suspended the evacuation process in view of the heavy snowfall, asking families to refrain from travelling to Bara until Friday evening due to the inclement weather. Meanwhile, heavy snowfall and a snowstorm had left scores of displaced families stranded on the road, following which a rescue operation was launched.
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