Clashes between two tribes over a disputed land in Kurram tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had resulted in two more fatalities on Tuesday, bringing the total casualties to 11.
The increase in death toll was confirmed by source in Kurram District Headquarters Hospital reporting that 67 individuals had sustained injuries as a result of the ongoing clashes.
The conflict, which began five days ago in the Boshehra Dandar area, has now spread to other areas including Khar Kallay, Baleshkhel, Pewar, Gidu, Teri Mengal, Karman Para Chamkani, Maqbal, and Kunj Alizai.
As a result of the ongoing clashes, the affected communities are facing critical shortages of vital supplies, including food, medicine, and fuel, exacerbated by road blockades.
The scarcity of these essential items has created significant hardships for the local population. Furthermore, in response to the escalating violence, educational institutions have been forced to close, further disrupting normal daily life in the area.
Nationwide protests were staged in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and other cities to express concern over the tense situation in Kurram.
On Tuesday, fresh clashes were reported in Pewar, Gidu, Baleshkhel, Khar Kallay, Sadda, Chamkani, and Kunj Alizai.
Kurram Deputy Commissioner, Syed Saiful Islam Shah, stated that collaborative efforts with tribal elders were underway to halt the violence, local media reported.
Ceasefire agreements had been established in various parts of the district, but Shah expressed regret that these agreements were being violated.
Despite the ceasefire agreements, the situation remains uncontrolled due to persistent violations.
“HRCP is deeply concerned by reports of civil unrest in Kurram, including violence perpetrated by rival sects, which have not only led to at least 9 deaths, but also interrupted access to schools and curtailed freedom of movement, especially that of the local Shia community,” said the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in a series of tweets.
“There are also alarming reports of rising militancy feeding into local conflicts,” it said urging the government to immediately undertake to resolve all sectarian differences peacefully and restore law and order to this region.
“We also remind the state that it pledged to mainstream the Newly Merged Districts in 2018 and secure all citizens’ right to life and security while providing them access to healthcare, education and livelihoods. This pledge remains unmet despite the allocation of AIP funds,” the commission remarked.
HRCP is deeply concerned by reports of civil unrest in #Kurram, incl. violence perpetrated by rival sects, which have not only led to at least 9 deaths, but also interrupted access to schools and curtailed freedom of movement, especially that of the local Shia community. 1/n
— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) July 11, 2023
