Islamabad, Jan 3 (IANS): Locals in the Kurram District of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province have refused to end their protest even two days after the rival sectarian tribes of Shia and Sunni Muslims signed a 14-point peace agreement that was supposed to pave way for a ceasefire in the region devastated by violence for over two months now.
Protestors in the district capital of Parachinar maintain that they would continue the sit-in until all roads are opened and made safe for travel.
The protest outside the Parachinar Press Club has been going on for weeks as the locals continue to slam the provincial government for failing to ensure the livelihood and safety of the people, who have been suffering severely due to a complete closure of all routes for over 80 days. This has resulted in major shortage of food supplies and non-availability of medicines, resulting in deaths of more than 150 people, including women and children.
"This is not the first time that a peace agreement has been signed. They took over two weeks to sign the agreement, being completely ignorant to the suffering of the people of the area, who are forced to live without food supplies, medicines and basic necessities. 150 people have died because the hospitals did not have medicines to treat them. Who is responsible for this?", a resident of Parachinar told IANS.
"Shia and Sunni conflict has been going on for decades here. People have been slaughtered by rival tribes in ambushed attacks many times and every time they end up signing the so-called peace agreements. This time also, a peace agreement has been signed. But no progress is seen on ground as far as opening of routes and supplies is concerned. Our families are dying here every day because of starvation and medical issues," he added.
The sectarian conflict in Parachinar started in the last week of November when a bus was attacked, resulting in the death of over 47 Shia Muslims. In retaliation, Shia militant groups carried out attacks on Sunni villages, brutally killing over 150 people. Since then, the tribal region has been blocked from the rest of the country.
Even as long deliberations and discussions were being held to establish peace, the delay pushed Parachinar residents into severe misery with over 150 people dying in hospitals due to shortage of medicines. Educational institutions have also remained shut due to security concerns and there has been no movement of public transports. The border with Afghanistan has also remained closed due to security concerns.
Local authorities and members of the peace Jirga, or tribal court, have been assuring that after the signing of peace deal, delivery of food and essential goods to Parachinar city, Bushahra and over 100 villages will begin soon.
"Medicines have already been sent to Parachinar by a welfare organisation and similar supplies are also being sent to other affected areas," said Deputy Commissioner Javed Ullah Mehsud.
Roads in Kurram have been blocked for over 87 days now and the only link road that leads to Parachinar has also been closed due to security concerns.
Citing past instances, locals fear that the peace deal may not materialise because it involves surrendering of all illegal weapons and demolition of bunkers of both Shia and Sunni tribes.
"We welcome the agreement but also know that such agreements in the past have been thrown in the dustbin with a single incident. The Shia and Sunni tribes have been fighting each other for far too long and that they will continue to do so in the future also. I do not think they will surrender their weapons and weaken their firepower," said Saifullah, a protesting resident of Parachinar.
"All we want is our right to live. We do not want to see our children dying in homes and hospitals for lack of medicines and treatment. We want our children to go to schools and colleges, we do not want our families to spend days without food, we do not want our shops and businesses to shut down. This is why we will not end our protest until full peace, security and normalcy is restored in the region," he added.