• Neither govt nor army ordered evacuation in Tirah, says ministry.
• Calls such claims as ‘baseless, malicious, driven by ulterior motives’.
• Cites KP’s notification releasing Rs4bn for temporary displacement.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has rejected the “misleading claims” regarding the alleged “depopulation” from 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 stated: “These assertions are baseless, malicious, and driven by ulterior motives aimed at creating alarm among the public, disinformation against security institutions and furthering vested political interest.”

The statement came after evacuations began in Tirah’s Maidan area on January 9 in preparation for a security operation, expected to conclude within two months, with rehabilitation and returns set for April 5.

It read that no directives had been issued by the federal government or the armed forces to depopulate the area, which lies in the Khyber district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa near the Afghan border.

The statement said law enforcement agencies were routinely carrying out “targeted, intelligence-based operations” against terrorist elements.

It added that these actions were designed in a manner to avoid “disruption to peaceful civilian life for which no depopulation or migration is needed or being undertaken”.

The ministry also referred to concerns among local people about the presence of militants, saying that the Tirah locals wanted peace and stability.

It detailed that the KP’s Relief, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Department issued a notification on December 26, 2025, releasing funds — reportedly Rs4 billion — for what it described as “anticipated temporary and voluntary movement of population from certain localities in Tirah (Bagh)”.

According to the statement, the provincial government requested facilitation for advance preparedness and relief-related arrangements, including transportation, food support, 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 statements by the provincial government or its officials linking the said migration to the armed forces, calling such claims “false and fabricated” and alleging they were made with mala fide intent to gain political capital and malign security institutions.

Meanwhile, on Friday, several families fleeing their homes in 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 carrying 65 people stranded in snow were safely rescued. Severe cold also led to multiple cases of hypothermia, particularly among children, an official at Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) said.

“At least 20 children were shifted to HMC with symptoms including shivering, fatigue and low body temperature,” the official added.

The Pakistan Army also remained engaged in relief efforts, rescuing 20 stranded residents and relocating them to secure locations.

A 200-bed facility was prepared at the Tirah Administrative Complex, where food, warm shelter and other basic facilities were being continuously provided to evacuating families.