The youngest victim of Parachinar blast

Zain Haider, along his two elder brothers, went to the Eid Gah vegetable market but never returned


News Desk January 26, 2017
A file photo of 8-year-old Zain Haider who was killed in Saturday's blast in Parachinar, Kurram Agency. PHOTO COURTESY: BBC

Zain Haider, along with his two elder brothers, went to a vegetable market in Parachinar on January 22 but never returned.

Last week’s blast in the crowded Eidgah Market of Parachinar city, Kurram Agency, one of the seven semi-autonomous regions of the country, added to the miseries of a local family whose youngest son was among those killed in the deadly explosion.

Eight-year-old Zain was instructed by his elder brother Altaf, 12, to stay in the market as he hired his handcart to a trader to move his merchandise.

Parachinar tragedy

Upon his return, all Altaf could find were Zain’s shoes and a pair of worn-out trainers, his 15-year-old brother Sabil Hussain, who works at a poultry shop, told the BBC.

"Altaf couldn't return to find Zain immediately because there was a commotion and people were running helter-skelter all over the place," he said. "Half an hour later, I went home to find Altaf in a state of shock. He was pale. He said he couldn't find Zain but his shoes, a pair of worn-out trainers, which he brought home."

Zain’s father Jamil Hussain, who works as a labourer in Karachi, is still unaware of the destruction Saturday’s attack caused to his family. "My father has a tough life in Karachi ... we haven't told him [about Zain's death]," said Sabil.

Over 20 killed in Parachinar vegetable market blast

Zain was proclaimed dead in a local hospital where scores of other victims were brought in. At least 25 people were killed and 87 others wounded in the blast.

Two terrorist groups — the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al Alami — claimed they had coordinated the attack.

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