Kurram Agency: Govt under attack

MNA and students lashed out at failure to recover missing persons and end violence.

ISLAMABAD:

A lawmaker belonging to Parachinar demanded that the government should launch a military operation against the Taliban in Kurram Agency who killed hundreds of innocent.

Addressing a conference at the National Press Club (NPC), MNA, Sajid Hussain Turi claimed that eight people were killed by the Taliban and 41 went missing on March 25 from the agency, but the government has failed to recover them.

Criticizing the government for its non-serious attitude in resolving the issue he said, “I boycotted the National Assembly’s session last week and I will continue to protest till our demands are fulfilled”.

He asked the government to solve Upper Kurram Agency’s and restore the Thal-Parachinar road, which links the region to the rest of the country, and has been closed since four years by militants. This is causing a severe humanitarian crisis for the residents and they are facing an essential shortage of essential edibles. He also put forward the suggestion of starting PIA services from Kurram to Peshawar.

He also demanded the implementation of the 2008 Murree Agreement and take action against the violators of the accord. The accord was signed by Turi, Bangesh and other tribes of Kurram Agency, with its two main objectives being the repatriation of IDPS and putting an end to the Shia-Sunni violence in the area.

The students of Parachinar, who were also present on the occasion, announced a massive protest in front of the Parliament on May 9.They said that they would continue to protest if the government did no take any action to recover the missing persons and establish military check posts on the Thal-Parachinar road.

The students also criticized the Interior Federal Minister, Rehman Malik who despite promising to open the main road had failed to take any practical steps in this regard. They have already had a two week sit-in since two weeks in front of the National Provincial Assembly (NPC).

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2011.