Left untreated, Kurram's dead children toll hits 50

Bodies pile up at hospitals due to lack of medical supplies

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DI KHAN:

The Kurram district's disconnection from Peshawar and other cities is giving rise to a humanitarian crisis, leaving as many as 50 children dead at local hospitals due to the lack of supplies.

After the depletion of food supplies, people are now desperate for basic necessities such as flour, salt, sugar, and vegetables.

The Parachinar-Tal highway in the tribal district of Kurram has been closed to all kinds of traffic since October 12. As a result, Upper Kurram has been without any food supplies for over two and a half months. The population of 400,000 in Kurram has been effectively trapped in the area.

Hospitals and medical stores have run out of medicines. According to Edhi Foundation sources, due to the lack of medical facilities, over 50 children have lost their lives. Additionally, all ATMs in the city have ceased operations due to the unavailability of funds in banks.

On the other hand, petrol and diesel are nowhere to be found, and government and private educational institutions that were closed have yet to reopen.

With the main highway closed for the 73rd consecutive day due to the ongoing unrest, locals were forced to hold a sit-in a day earlier on Saturday. Protesters claim that the residents of Parachinar are now on the verge of starvation.

According to details, the roads connecting the Kurram district, near the Pak-Afghan border, to other areas have been shut down for all types of traffic and movement for 73 days.

The road closures have resulted in severe shortages of basic necessities in the region, including food, medicine, fuel, and LPG. Supplies have been entirely exhausted. Due to the unavailability of fuel, all public and private educational institutions in Upper Kurram have been shut down. ATMs are out of cash, adding to the distress of the citizens. Hotels, bakeries, and shops selling vegetables and fruits have also been forced to close.

Border officials report that no movement is occurring through the Pak-Afghan Kharlachi border either. Hospitals are facing critical shortages of medicines, leading to the deaths of patients, including children. Dr Zulfiqar Ali mentioned that the provincial government, Punjab government, and Edhi Air Ambulance are attempting to address the crisis by providing medicines via helicopters and air ambulances.

Meanwhile, citizens in Kurram District have started a sit-in against the road closures. They demand the immediate reopening of roads and the provision of food and medicine for the stranded population.

Speaking at the sit-in outside the Parachinar Press Club, leaders Iqrar Turi, Mir Afzal Khan, Samar Bangash, and Shafaat Hussain stated that the population of Parachinar has been forced into starvation due to the closure of the main highway and Afghan border for over two and a half months. Laborers working in the local markets have also joined the protest with their handcarts.

The leaders warned that failure to reopen and secure the roads could result in a major humanitarian crisis. The district administration explained that the roads were closed due to security concerns following incidents of firing on passenger convoys and clashes in Kurram District.

Earlier, locals condemned government statements claiming a plentiful supply of essential goods as "misleading", educational institutions in the volatile tribal district of Kurram have decided to close from Friday (today).