Agency
new delhi, Dec 2
The death toll from sectarian clashes in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province surged to 130 on Sunday as violence continued in the Kurram district. At least six deaths were reported on Sunday alone.
The clashes between Alizai and Bagan tribes in the district started on November 22. The clashes began after an attack on a convoy of passenger vans near Parachinar in which 57 people were killed.
Despite the ceasefire agreement, the situation remained tense in the region. The 10-day truce brokered last week has been rendered ineffective by intermittent violence.
A high-power delegation, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry and IGP Akhtar Hayat Gandapur, worked out a ceasefire deal last weekend. However, the violence resumed despite the deal.
Kurram, located along the Afghan border and adjacent to provinces like Logar and Paktia, has a long history of sectarian violence.
Shia-Sunni sectarian killings are prevalent in Pakistan. As per the 2023 census, Kurram’s Shia population—around 45 per cent of its 7.85 lakh residents—is significantly higher than the national average of 10-15 per cent. Meanwhile, Upper Kurram, predominantly Shia, boasts better literacy and economic indicators compared to Sunni-dominated Lower and Central Kurram. Over the years, the sectarian tensions in the region have deepened in the area. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi planned to dispatch members of the grand peace jirga (council of tribal leaders) from Kohat division to Kurram to engage in negotiations.
“No other country or province will resolve our issues. We must take responsibility for improving the situation ourselves,” said Kundi.
The governor also urged the religious scholars to promote peace in the region.
The closure of the shops has created a scarcity of oil, food commodities and medicines in the region.
Internet services have also been suspended in the region since the clashes.
