KURRAM: More than 100 villages in Upper and Lower Kurram, including Parachinar, have been under siege for over three and a half months following escalating hostilities in the region.
Tensions have remained high since the November 21, 2024, attack on a convoy traveling from Peshawar to Parachinar, which resulted in the deaths of 50 people, including women and children. Despite multiple peace agreements, the main highway connecting Parachinar remains blocked, cutting off vital food and supply routes.
Local elders cite the region’s porous border with Afghanistan as a significant factor fueling instability. Many believe that lasting peace requires reconciliation and a willingness to move beyond past grievances.
In Lower Kurram, security forces and police have imposed a curfew and launched operations against militants. Officials report that at least 20 families have evacuated their homes, with many seeking shelter in Hangu or with relatives.
The ongoing blockade has led to severe shortages of basic necessities, intensifying the hardship for residents. Law enforcement agencies, supported by the civil administration, are conducting a clearance operation in Bagan and adjacent areas, following provincial orders for decisive action against those responsible for attacks on relief convoys and government officials.
Temporary camps have been established for displaced families, and a relief convoy is expected to reach the district within days. However, victims whose shops and homes were destroyed during the riots after the November attack are still awaiting compensation. Over 400 shops and numerous houses were gutted in the violence.
Meanwhile, a sit-in on the Talpara-Chinar Highway in Manduri continues as protestors demand financial assistance and implementation of their demands.
Despite a peace agreement brokered by the Grand Jirga, Kurram Peace Committee, and local groups, tensions remain high, and the district’s security situation is far from stable. Residents are urging swift government intervention to restore normalcy and end the prolonged siege.