Rising terror incidents and closure of roads: Kurram tribesmen to launch peace march today

PARACHINAR: The Turi Bangash tribesmen on Wednesday announced to launch a ‘peace march’ to protest the frequent terrorist attacks, lawlessness and closure of roads in the Kurram tribal district.

The decision was taken at a jirga. The march will start at 10 am today from the Parachinar Press Club. All bazaars and educational institutions will remain closed during the march.The jirga was convened after the protest attended by thousands of Turi Bangash tribesmen who had reached the press club.

They were carrying the caskets of the two people who had been killed by terrorists in the Bagan Uchat area of Lower Kurram a day before.The elders said the peace march participants would be unarmed and on foot. They would proceed to Peshawar and later Islamabad to highlight the demand for reopening the roads and making them safe for travel.

Speaking at the occasion, Turi Bangash tribal elders — Jalal Bangash, Allama Tajamal Hussain and Inayat Turi — said people were sick of frequent acts of terrorism and the long closure of roads.

They said a large population had been forced to remain indoors and there was no one to listen to them address the issues.The elders said various roads in Kurram had been closed for the last 26 days which had added to the sufferings of the people.

They said the situation had created a shortage of essential items, food, medicines and fuel. “ As many as 20 people, including 12 kids, have lost lives due to non-availability of medicines,” said one of the speakers.Later, the two slain people—Wahab Ali and Mushtaq Hussain – were laid to rest at ancestral graveyards after the protest and the jirga at the press club.