LAHORE: Former federal minister Sajid Hussain Turi revealed on Sunday that the ongoing conflict in Parachinar, which has lasted nearly three months, has resulted in the deaths of at least 128 children due to a severe shortage of essential resources.
Since violent tribal clashes broke out in Kurram district in November, the region has been effectively cut off from the rest of Pakistan.
Roads, including the key Parachinar-Peshawar highway, have remained closed due to continuous violence. The violence escalated following an attack on a vehicular convoy in the Bagan area on November 21, which left at least 50 people dead.
Despite the blockade, the federal government successfully transported one tonne of medical supplies to Parachinar by helicopter on December 27. According to an official statement, the same helicopters also evacuated sick individuals, taking them to Islamabad for urgent medical treatment.
The conflict, which has claimed over 100 lives, intensified after two individuals were killed and decapitated in the Bagan area while traveling toward Parachinar. A grand jirga involving tribal elders and local officials convened in Kohat to mediate the situation, but no agreement was reached following multiple discussions. Meanwhile, protests in the area have continued for more than 10 days.
In an interview with DawnNewsTV, Turi reported that at least 37 children had died at the district headquarters hospital in Kurram, with the total number of child fatalities in the region rising to 128 when factoring in all hospitals. These deaths are primarily attributed to the shortage of medical supplies and resources, which has plagued the region for the past 85 days.
A report from a local civil society organization, seen by Dawn.com, corroborated the figure of 128 child deaths. Turi emphasized that the ongoing blockade has left the region without basic necessities, including proper medical care, fuel, and gas. He also noted that people suffering from heart conditions and pregnant women in labor had also passed away due to a lack of access to medical services.
“The situation is worsening every day. With the road closure lasting for over 80 days, it has become extremely difficult for the people in this area,” Turi added.
Meanwhile, the religious-political party Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) has been leading sit-ins in Karachi for the past week in protest against the killings in Parachinar. The protests, which have blocked several major roads in the city, are expected to continue. MWM leaders, including Allama Hasan Zafar Naqvi, have warned that if their demands are not addressed, the protests could escalate to other parts of Sindh.
Negotiations between the protestors and local authorities have not yielded results, and demonstrators have continued their sit-ins, leaving some space for traffic but occupying key protest locations across Karachi.
