PARACHINAR: Police on Sunday arrested a key organiser of the ongoing sit-in protest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Parachinar, which has entered its seventh week.
The protest is being held against the prolonged closure of the Thall-Parachinar Road — the city’s only access route — which has remained shut since a deadly attack in November 2024.
The Kurram district police confirmed the arrest of Malik Zartaj in Upper Kurram tehsil, along with another protestor, Imran Maqbool, in Lower Kurram. Zartaj has been a leading figure in the sit-in, which began on March 2 following escalating violence linked to long-standing land disputes in the region.
However, the police did not disclose the reason for the arrests. Officials also said that raids are ongoing to detain PTI local leader Khawaja Naheed in connection with the protests.
Tensions have flared in the region since the Nov 21 attack on a convoy in Bagan, which left over 50 dead. Subsequent tribal clashes have claimed at least 130 more lives, despite ceasefire attempts in January and again in March, when an eight-month truce was agreed.
In response to Zartaj’s arrest, demonstrations erupted in different parts of Parachinar. Elder Musarat Bangash, another organiser of the sit-in, condemned the arrest and reiterated their demands.
“We’ve been peacefully demanding the reopening of the road for nearly 50 days, yet our pleas are being ignored. Now, instead of resolving the issue, they are arresting our leaders,” Bangash said.
Protesters have consistently expressed concern over the severe isolation caused by the blockade. They argue that the weekly convoys allowed through are inadequate to meet the basic needs of Parachinar’s population.
Friday’s attack in the same area that killed at least three more people has only heightened public anger and calls for government intervention. Several others were reported missing in the incident, prompting renewed protests throughout Kurram.
Authorities maintain that efforts are underway to alleviate the crisis. The district administration has pledged to improve aid delivery, and aviation officials recently assessed the feasibility of using Parachinar airport for emergency flights.
Meanwhile, the KP government earlier this year announced a renewed security operation in Kurram, which has so far resulted in the arrest of at least 30 suspected militants and facilitators.
