- Neither government nor army ordered evacuation in Tirah, ministry says.
- Calling such claims as ‘baseless, malicious, driven by ulterior motives’.
- Citing KP’s announcement of release of Rs4bn. for temporary displacement.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has rejected the “misleading allegations” regarding the alleged “depopulation” of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tirah Valley “on the orders of the army” amid reports of evacuation of families ahead of a planned operation.
In a clarification issued late on Saturday, the ministry said: “These allegations are baseless, malicious and driven by ulterior motives aimed at creating alarm among the public, disinformation against security institutions and promoting vested political interests.”
The statement came after evacuations began in Tirah’s Maidan area on January 9 in preparation for a security operation expected to end within two months, with rehabilitation and return set for April 5.
It said no directives had been issued by the federal government or the armed forces to depopulate the area, which is located in the Khyber district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa near the Afghan border.
The statement said law enforcement agencies routinely conduct “targeted, intelligence-based operations” against terrorist elements.
It added that these actions were designed to avoid “disruption to peaceful civilian life for which depopulation or migration is not required or undertaken”.
The ministry also referred to concerns among the local population about the presence of militants, saying that the locals in Tirah wanted peace and stability.
It detailed that KP’s Relief, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Department issued a notification on December 26, 2025 releasing funds – reportedly Rs 4 billion. – to what it described as “anticipated temporary and voluntary movement of the population from certain localities in Tirah (Bagh)”.
According to the statement, the provincial government requested the facilitation of advance preparedness and relief-related arrangements, including transportation, food aid, cash assistance, and the establishment and management of transit and registration points.
Citing the document, the ministry said the Deputy Commissioner of Khyber conveyed that the proposed voluntary movement reflected the will of the local population, expressed through a representative jirga, while taking into account seasonal, logistical and contextual considerations and adopting a non-camp-based modality.
The ministry strongly rejected any media statement by the provincial government or its officials linking the said migration to the armed forces, calling such claims “false and fabricated” and alleged that they were made with mala fide intentions to gain political capital and malign security institutions.
Meanwhile, on Friday, several families who fled their homes in the Tirah Valley were stranded on snow-covered roads as heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures gripped parts of the province, triggering rescue operations.
Rescue 1122 said more than 25 vehicles with 65 people stranded in snow were rescued safely. Severe cold also led to several cases of hypothermia, especially among children, an official at Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) said.
“At least 20 children were shifted to HMC with symptoms like shivering, fatigue and low body temperature,” the official added.
The Pakistan Army also remained engaged in relief efforts, rescuing 20 stranded residents and moving them to safe places.
A 200-bed facility was prepared at the Tirah Administrative Complex where food, warm shelter and other basic amenities were continuously provided to evacuee families.
