Defence Minister Dismisses Reports of Operation in Tirah Valley, Calls Migration Routine

Islamabad: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has clarified that no military operation is currently underway in Tirah Valley, stating that the ongoing movement of people from the area is routine and being misrepresented as a crisis.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad alongside Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar and the Prime Minister’s KP Coordinator Ikhtiar Wali, Asif said that intelligence-based actions are occasionally conducted against terrorists, but there is no large-scale operation in the region.

“This migration is normal because the area is located at an altitude of 17,000 feet, where harsh winter conditions prevail,” the minister said. He added that the provincial government has allocated Rs4 billion for people relocating from the area and would need to account for its use.

پی ٹی آئی کی کے پی حکومت میں کچھ لوگ طالبان کو بھتہ دیتے ہیں ، 4سے 5 سال پہلے ہوسکتا ہے کہ یہ بھتہ اسلام آباد بھی آتا ہو ،خواجہ آصف pic.twitter.com/bGqyw0wyve

— WE News (@WENewsPk) January 27, 2026

Khawaja Asif accused the KP government of blaming a nonexistent operation for administrative failures, noting that as of December 11, a jirga had decided to establish hospitals, schools, and police stations in the area. He said that the provincial government and the local jirga have no connection with the military, and claims of an ongoing operation are based on assumptions.

Highlighting the lack of infrastructure in the region, the defence minister said, “Hospitals, schools, and police stations are absent in these high-altitude areas. Poppy cultivation occurs in these regions, and the proceeds are collected by proscribed TTP and local politicians.”

He also claimed that around 500 TTP members are present in Tirah Valley and that law enforcement acts on intelligence as it becomes available. Asif alleged that certain individuals in the PTI-led KP government have previously paid extortion money to the Taliban.

خیبرپختونخوا میں وادیٔ تیراہ سمیت دیگر وادیوں میں سردیوں کے دوران برف باری کے مہینوں میں مقامی افراد نقل مکانی کرتے ہیں۔ یہ ایک معمول کی روایت ہے، جسے بلاوجہ بحران کی شکل دی جا رہی ہے. وزیر دفاع خواجہ آصف pic.twitter.com/UB3qzuSbEn

— WE News (@WENewsPk) January 27, 2026

Rs4 Billion Fund Questioned

Prime Minister’s KP Coordinator Ikhtiar Wali questioned the provincial government’s allocation of Rs4 billion for Tirah Valley victims, asking where the money was spent. “Funds are often allocated in the name of development projects but end up being spent on activities like street movements. During the protest on February 8, these people will again be used as fuel for political agendas,” he added.

Both officials emphasized that the federal government is ready to support the KP government to ensure the welfare of residents in Tirah Valley.