For more than three and a half months, over 100 villages in Upper and Lower Kurram, including Parachinar, have been under siege. The district remains tense, particularly after the deadly convoy attack on November 21, 2024, which claimed 50 lives, including women and children.
Despite peace deals, the main highway to Parachinar is still closed. This blockade prevents the delivery of vital supplies like food. Local elders blame the insecurity on the porous border with Afghanistan, which has become a hub for unrest. Some suggest that real peace will require both sides to move beyond past grievances and work towards reconciliation.
In Lower Kurram, security forces and police are conducting operations to root out militants. A curfew has been imposed in the affected areas. Officials report that 20 families have already fled their homes. Many of these displaced families are now staying with relatives, while others have moved to Hangu.
The people of Kurram are facing a dire humanitarian crisis. Severe shortages of basic necessities and ongoing violence have left them in distress. Calls for urgent intervention continue to grow louder.
Meanwhile, a clearance operation led by law enforcement agencies and the civil administration has entered its third day in Bagan and nearby areas. This operation was launched after the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government approved strict action against those targeting relief convoys and the deputy commissioner. Police, district officials, and other agencies are participating in the operation. Residents of these areas were relocated to safer locations before the crackdown began, according to sources close to the provincial government.
In response to the crisis, the district administration has set up camps for temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) in four village councils in Lower Kurram. A relief convoy carrying essential supplies is expected to depart for the district soon.
The aftermath of the November 21 attack on a convoy in Bagan has left hundreds struggling. At least 400 shops and many homes were burned during the riots that followed the incident. Victims of the violence are still waiting for compensation to rebuild their lives.
Adding to the turmoil, a sit-in protest is ongoing on the Talpara-Chinar Highway in Manduri. Protesters are demanding financial assistance and the approval of their other requests.
Despite efforts by the Grand Jirga, the Kurram Peace Committee, and local peace groups to mediate, the situation in the district remains fragile. Peace agreements have been reached, but stability in Kurram remains elusive.
