People face hardships as roads remain shut despite truce in Kurram

PARACHINAR: Despite truce (Aman Tegha) in Kurram district, the travel routes remain blocked, causing severe difficulties to the public.

The Dastarkhwan Committee, which had arranged essentials for Eid for the children of martyrs and poor, could not deliver the relief packages to Parachinar owing to road closure.

Also, the organisers of the ongoing protest in Parachinar have announced that they would observe Eid as a Black Day and Martyrs Day.

After six months of conflict, an eight-month peace accord was declared between the rival parties, raising hopes that travel routes would reopen. However, disappointment spread among the people when they found that the roads were still closed, preventing many from returning to Parachinar for Eid.

Chairman of Dastarkhwan Imam Hassan, Mehdi Hussain, along with other committee members, addressed a press conference and said that their charity work was funded through public donations. Two trucks loaded with Eid packages, donated by the people of Hangu Istarzai for orphaned children and the needy, were blocked from entering Parachinar despite the peace agreement.

They expressed regret that their repeated appeals to the authorities went unheard, leaving many poor and orphaned children deprived of their Eid packages. The committee has urged immediate action to ensure the delivery of these essential supplies.

Parachinar Assistant Commissioner Ameer Nawaz said that efforts were underway to reopen the roads after the peace truce. He assured that once mutual trust between both sides was restored, the roads would be fully reopened for travel.

Meanwhile, after 84 days, the ongoing protest sit-in at Bagan has been called off. Jirga member Malik Ahmad Khan said that the protest ended following the peace truce agreement between the elders of both factions, ensuring aid for the affected people of Bagan and action against those responsible for damages.

However, another protest Parachinar Press Club, where demonstrators demanded the reopening of travel routes and aid for those affected by unrest. They are also calling for packages for the families of 500 persons who reportedly lost their lives due to a lack of medical care.

Leaders, including Malik Zartaj and Musarrat Bangash, have declared that they would continue their sit-in until the roads are reopened. They announced that instead of celebrating Eid, they would mark it as a Black Day and Martyrs Day, performing Eid prayers at the protest site.