Dozens massacred as gunmen ambush convoy in Kurram

Seven women and a child among dead Convoy comes under heavy gunfire Vehicles travelling from Parachinar to Peshawar

DERA ISMAIL KHAN:

The volatile Kurram district has seen a number of blood events in recent times, but none of the incidents came close to the horror of the massacre in Parachinar as armed assailants opened fire on a convoy on Thursday, killing at least 41 people and wounding 29 others.

However, a doctor in a district headquarters hospital in Parachinar told The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity that the death toll range between 40 and 50.

A nine-year-old girl and seven women were among the innocent souls, whose lives were cut short in a hail of bullets. Reports suggested that assailants fired at passenger vehicles traveling in a convoy from Parachinar to Peshawar in the Lower Kurram region at Mandori, Dad Kamar, and Char Khel.

Police and hospital sources confirmed that passenger vehicles came under attack in those areas of Lower Kurram. Bengush, a leader of the Turi Bangash tribes, stated that dozens of passengers were still stranded in the area. He called for immediate action from the forces to evacuate them safely.

The injured had been taken to various hospitals. Twelve of the wounded, including two women, were transported to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dera Ismail Khan, while 16 others were brought to the Alizai Tehsil Hospital.

Other Tribal leaders, including Jalala Bangash and Allama Tajmul Hussain strongly condemned the attack, stating that for the past one and a half months, they have been urging the government to secure the routes.

Over 100,000 people protested two weeks ago with a peaceful walk from Parachinar to Peshawar and Islamabad. However, despite this, no effective measures have been taken to secure the routes, leading to such tragic and unfortunate incidents, the tribals said.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur strongly condemned the attack. Expressing deep sorrow over the tragic loss of lives, Gandapur tasked the provincial law minister, the local MNA, MPA, and the chief secretary to visit Kurram, assess the ground realities, and submit a detailed report.

Furthermore, Gandapur instructed the reactivation of a previously-held tribal jirga to help stabilise the situation in the area. He stressed that the provincial government, police, and all relevant institutions were making concerted efforts to improve law and order in the region.

As part of these measures, he directed the authorities concerned to expedite the establishment of a provincial highways police to ensure the safety of all major routes across the province. the chief minister also announced financial assistance for the victims' families.

He termed the targeting of innocent civilians a deeply tragic and reprehensible act. He vowed that those responsible for the incident would not escape justice. He assured that all necessary steps would be taken to bring the perpetrators to account.

Qaumi Watan Party chief Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao also strongly condemned the tragic incident and expressed heartfelt sympathy and solidarity with the families of the victims. He said that violent incidents were becoming a daily occurrence, leaving the public in a state of extreme insecurity.

In a press release from the party's secretariat, Sherpao demanded an investigation into the Kurram incident and stated that the law-and-order situation in the merged and southern districts of the province was worsening by the day.

He emphasised that they have repeatedly warned the rulers to prioritise this fundamental issue of law and order, ensuring the full implementation of the National Action Plan, and taking decisive actions, but no attention was being paid to this matter.

Sherpao urged immediate steps to restore normalcy in Kurram, which had been facing tense conditions for several weeks. He mentioned that the roads in the district are closed, making it difficult for people to receive essential supplies such as food, medicine, and other necessities, severely impacting their lives.

He expressed his condolences and solidarity with the families of those killed and injured in the Parachinar incidents. He called for the immediate opening of blocked roads for movement and effective measures to restore normalcy in the district.