Khawaja Asif, while addressing a joint press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday, along with Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Atta Tarar, and Ikhtiar Wali, said that the Tirah Valley migration in winter happens every year.
“The armed forces deployed in that area have nothing to do with it. This is an arrangement between the jirga and the provincial government. And as a result of that, this notification was issued,” he added.
He stated that migration was being deliberately portrayed as a crisis. This migration is a seasonal movement and has always taken place in areas like the Tirah Valley.
The residents temporarily relocate when heavy snowfall occurs.
Khawaja Asif accused the KP government of hiding its incompetence behind the Pakistan Army.
He said the situation in Tirah Valley was being misrepresented for political purposes. Further, he added that there are historical proofs that migration is an old practice.
The provincial government had allocated Rs4 billion in funds for the people of the Tirah Valley who were to migrate. But this money was spent on street movements and political activities instead of public welfare, he added.
He raised the question of where four billion rupees were spent. And the KP government should give a clear answer to this, he added further.
“Even though it had been agreed between the provincial government and the jirga that hospitals, police stations and girls’ schools would be established there,” he said.
The defence minister further said, “It was strategically decided then that intelligence-based operations (IBO) are way more effective than operations; the collateral damage is way less. So, the armed forces have stopped the operation for years now in favour of the IBOs.”
“This is why this practice has been ongoing there for many years, and that is why there is no question of any operation there,” he stated.
Tirah Valley migration
The government has taken notice of misleading reports claiming that Tirah Valley is being evacuated on orders of the armed forces, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said.
The ministry said these claims are baseless, malicious, and being spread for specific purposes.
The aim of such rumours is to create fear among the public, spread false information against security institutions, and serve personal or political interests.
The federal government or the armed forces have not issued any order to evacuate Tirah Valley, the ministry clarified.
— Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (@MoIB_Official) January 24, 2026
Read more: Claims of Tirah Valley evacuation on Army orders baseless, Govt takes notice
