April 19, 2025
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE
The killing of three passengers in Lower Kurram’s Bagan area has deepened tensions in the already volatile Kurram district, where a fragile peace between warring tribes hangs in the balance. The district has been under an eight-month blockade following violent clashes between Shia and Sunni tribes, leading to severe shortages of food, fuel, and medicine.
The victims—Tahir Hussain, Safar Ali, and Mazar Ali—were residents of Parachinar and were shot dead while traveling to Peshawar on Friday (April 18). Rescue officials recovered the bodies of the victims from a stream in the Dad Kamar area of Bagan. Their bodies were brought back and buried in their ancestral villages. Reports indicate that the victims were forced to take dangerous routes due to expiring visas for overseas employment, as the main highways remain blocked. Relatives of the victims said the men were travelling to Peshawar to renew visas or make arrangements for travelling abroad, as their documents were nearing expiry.
Bagan and surrounding areas have witnessed multiple terrorist attacks in recent months including targeted killings. The killings have sparked renewed outrage, with residents continuing a 50-day sit-in in Parachinar. The protesters demanded immediate reopening of blocked routes to restore transportation and trade. They also called for compensation packages for victims of violence and families of the deceased.
Protest call for Monday
Former Senator Allama Abid Hussaini has called for a protest at Kashmir Chowk in Parachinar on Monday (April 21), condemning the blockade as “inhumane and unjustifiable.” He criticized security forces for failing to clear a 15-kilometer stretch in Bagan despite multiple military operations.
The Thall-Parachinar Road, which connects the district with the rest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has remained closed since the Nov 21, 2024, attack on a convoy in the Bagan area that left more than 50 dead. Ensuing clashes stemming from decades-old land disputes claimed at least 130 more lives.
With the road still inaccessible, essential supplies such as food and medicine are transported under official protection through convoys. However, convoys have repeatedly come under attack. A recent assault in Lower Kurram resulted in several casualties, as well as looting and the burning of several trucks.
Tribal elders accuse officials of taking bribes for inclusion in supplies convoys
Addressing a press conference, tribal elders including Haji Imdad Ali accused the local administration officials of taking bribes to allow trucks to join government-protected convoys, which transport basic necessities to the besieged town.
They criticised the administration for failing to reopen the road despite an eight-month peace agreement signed on March 29.
The tribal leaders accused authorities of fleecing traders for including their vehicles in the convoy and called for the immediate reopening of all roads in the district.
The prolonged blockade has effectively cut off Kurram from the rest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, forcing the provincial government to launch a helicopter service for critically ill patients, overseas workers, and officials stranded in the district. Authorities have announced a 400-strong security force comprising ex-servicemen to protect highways, but the force has yet to be deployed.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Amir Nawaz stated that an investigation into the triple murder is underway, but locals remain skeptical, fearing further violence if the blockade continues.
Kurram’s sectarian tensions have long plagued the region, and the latest killings threaten to reignite conflict. With protests intensifying and resources dwindling, the government faces mounting pressure to act before the situation spirals out of control.