ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: The humanitarian crisis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s restive Kurram District, especially in Parachinar, has gone from bad to worse as closure of vital Tull-Parachinar road entered 154th day, with District Bar Association (DBA) Kurram addressed a letter to President Asif Ali Zardari, highlighting the devastating impact of the prolonged blockade on the region’s residents.
In the letter addressed to the President, the District Bar Association Kurram detailed the catastrophic consequences of the road closure.
The letter, signed by DBA President Aamir Abbas and other lawyers, drew the president’s attention to the “humanitarian crisis caused by the closure of the Thull-Parachinar Road for the last over 154 days.”
The DBA declared that the blockade has created a full-blown humanitarian crisis in Parachinar, cutting off access to essential supplies and services.
Prolonged road closures and the complete suspension of movement to and from Kurram due to the unrest had cut the district off from the outside world, leading to a severe shortage of food and medicine, which reportedly resulted in additional deaths.
The conflicting parties finally agreed to a ceasefire under a government and military-brokered peace pact, which mandates the surrender of all weapons and the removal of bunkers in accordance with the KP apex committee’s orders.
However, despite the peace agreement, there have been repeated attacks on convoys and vehicles, including a targeted attack on Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud and Assistant Commissioner Saeed Manan Boshehra.
Tragically, the letter stated that an estimated 300 patients, majority of whom children, and suffering from cancer, heart diseases and diabetes, have either lost lives or are the death bed due to the inability to access timely medical care.
“The closure has forced the shutdown of educational institutions, severely impacting the studies of students”, the letter read.
It also highlighted the economic devastation, citing that the local economy has been crippled, with markets shuttered and trade paralyzed.
While most government offices continue to function in Parachinar, the District Judiciary is an exception, further exacerbating the challenges faced by the community.
The Bar Association implored the President to intervene by issuing immediate orders to the relevant authorities to reopen the road, improve the law and order situation, and ensure the presence of judges and judicial staff in Parachinar.
Citizens’ Protest and Demands
On the other hand, frustration and desperation have spilled onto the streets of Parachinar, where a citizens’ protest sit-in outside the Press Club has entered its 40th day, showing a significant turnout with the demands for a complete peace among others in the region.
Immediate Reopening of the Tull-Parachinar Road
The primary demand is the immediate lifting of the blockade to restore access to essential goods and services.
The protesters are also calling for an immediate relief package to support the families of those who have suffered due to the road closure, including those who have lost loved ones.
Earlier on Feb 17, an aid convoy travelling from Thull to Kurram was attacked near the Ochit area of Lower Kurram, leaving one security person dead and a truck driver among injured.
The convoy, consisting of 64 vehicles, was en route to Kurram district when unidentified assailants opened fire. Following the attack, officials decided to turn the convoy back to Hangu as a precautionary measure.
Reacting to the incident, Adviser to the KP Chief Minister on Information, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, in a statement, said the provincial cabinet strongly condemned the attack while stressing the government’s commitment to restoring peace in the region.
“The KP chief minister has directed the authorities to take strict action against the miscreants responsible for disturbing the peace,” Barrister Saif said, adding that during the cabinet meeting, the overall security situation in Kurram was thoroughly reviewed.
“Through a grand jirga, agreements have been reached between the conflicting parties, and efforts to rebuild trust are ongoing,” Barrister Saif said, adding, “As part of the government’s strategy to restore peace, the process of demolishing illegal bunkers in the area is proceeding swiftly.”
The adviser stressed that these actions were critical for the long-term stability of the region and the safety of its people.
Kurram has been wracked by violence for decades, but over 150 people have been killed in a fresh round of fighting which started in November last year when two separate convoys travelling under police escort were ambushed, leaving 40 people dead.
Last month, terrorists ambushed a convoy of 35 vehicles set to resupply local traders in the restive territory with rice, flour, cooking oil and essential medicine, which claimed the lives of at least 8 people, including security personnel, drivers and civilians. Retaliatory action by security forces resulted in the killing of six assailants.
Establishment of 120 posts to ensure security
Last month, the KP provincial cabinet meeting, chaired by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, had decided the establishment of 120 security posts along Kurram Road. The meeting also decided to provide Rs764 million for equipping these security posts with modern equipments.
The meeting, held to review the implementation of government decisions for lasting peace in Kurram, approved the recruitment of 407 personnel for security posts.
The officials informed the cabinet that 189 people have lost their lives due to violence in Kurram since October. To restore normalcy, efforts were underway to implement the terms of the peace agreement.
The cabinet was informed that nine convoys, comprising 718 vehicles, had so far been sent to ensure the availability of essential supplies.
