Tragedy in Parachinar
Former federal minister Sajid Hussain Turi revealed on Sunday that at least 128 children have died in Parachinar over the past three months due to a severe lack of resources, a crisis stemming from the ongoing conflict in the region.
The violence, which began in November, has claimed over 100 lives and led to Kurram district being isolated from the rest of the country.
The blockade of all major roads, including the Parachinar-Peshawar highway, started on November 21 after a convoy was attacked in the Bagan area, resulting in 50 deaths. This event triggered widespread tribal clashes, escalating tensions and causing devastating consequences for local residents.
The federal government, in a December 27 statement on X, announced that a tonne of medicines had been airlifted to Parachinar by helicopter. Patients requiring urgent medical care were transported to Islamabad using the same helicopters.
The conflict intensified after two individuals traveling to Parachinar were killed and decapitated in Bagan, sparking further unrest. Efforts to broker peace, including a grand jirga in Kohat involving tribal elders, local officials, and former lawmakers, have so far been inconclusive. A protest in the area has now entered its tenth day.
According to Turi, the district headquarters hospital in Kurram has reported 37 child deaths since the conflict began. Including figures from surrounding hospitals, the total reaches 128 children who have died over the past 85 days due to inadequate medical supplies. A local civil society group corroborated this figure in a list shared with Dawn.com.
Turi described the dire state of the region, with hospitals struggling to function, schools shut down, and critical shortages of fuel and gas. He highlighted the plight of heart patients and expectant mothers, some of whom have also lost their lives due to the lack of resources.
In Karachi, the religiopolitical group Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) has been leading protests against the killings in Parachinar. For over a week, demonstrators have blocked key roads across the city.
MWM leader Allama Hasan Zafar Naqvi stated that the sit-ins would continue until their demands were met, warning that the movement could expand across Sindh. Despite ongoing talks with police and city officials, no resolution has been reached.
