Parachinar Blockade Continues for 121 Days, 450 Individuals, Including Children, Have Died

The main road connecting Peshawar to Upper Kurram, as well as the Pak-Afghan Kharlachi border, has been closed for all types of traffic for the past 121 days. Life in Parachinar and the entire Upper Kurram region has come to a standstill, leaving residents in a state of despair. Joys have vanished from people’s lives, and they are facing a dire and painful situation.

Due to the unavailability of petrol and diesel, public transportation has come to a complete halt. The ground and air transport systems, along with the region’s communication network, have also been severely disrupted.

The district of Kurram, home to a population of 500,000, has been trapped in their own area due to the road closures. Essential food items are in short supply, and the lack of medicine has led to the deaths of hundreds of children and elderly individuals.

Approximately 4,000 overseas Pakistanis are stranded in Parachinar due to the road blockades. Nearly 3,000 students are anxiously waiting to return to their educational institutions in other parts of the country. The closure of routes has resulted in the loss of thousands of passengers’ tickets and visas, causing financial losses amounting to millions of rupees.

The deaths of citizens due to lack of food and medical treatment pose a serious concern for the government. Due to the unavailability of medicines and quality healthcare, 450 patients, including 215 children, have died in various hospitals and villages. In Parachinar and other besieged areas, children do not have access to milk and food.

On the other hand, tribes in Mandori Lower Kurram continue their sit-in protest demanding their rights. Protesters state that the sit-in will continue until relief packages and justice are provided to the victims of the Bagan incident. They demand compensation for the markets and shops that were burned down in Bagan.

The district administration claims that measures are being taken to maintain peace and provide relief to the public under a peace agreement. So far, 16 bunkers belonging to the tribes have been demolished as part of the agreement.