Protesters in Pakistan’s Parachinar continued their sit-in on Friday and said that they would continue doing so until people’s security is guaranteed and normal traffic flow is restored and roads are opened, Chairperson of the tehsil Agha Muzammil Hussain told Dawn.
People from both the sides of the Kurram district signed the peace agreement on Wednesday, Dawn reported. However, they continued the protests.
Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud said on Thursday that the delivery of food and essential goods to Parachinar city, Bushahra, and over 100 villages will begin soon.
He claimed that a welfare organisation has already sent medicines to Parachinar and is also sending them to other affected areas. He said efforts are being made to open roads as soon as possible, Dawn reported.
The peace agreement was signed by the efforts by Grand Peace Jirga. A member of the Jirga, Syed Raza Hussain said that the 14-point peace agreement was signed by the parties.
For implementation of the agreement, meetings began at the office of the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Major General Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, with all senior civil and military officers. A plan of action is being developed to open the roads, and full security will be provided to travelers.
Roads in Kurram district, including the main road, which is the only link of Parachinar to other parts of Pakistan, had been closed for all types of traffic for the last 87 days, as per Dawn.
Due to the road blockade, a serious humanitarian crisis unfolded in Parachinar, with people facing famine-like situation as stocks of essential food items and other goods dwindled, business centres, hotels, restaurants, and markets closed and patients, especially children, died in homes and hospitals due to non-availability of medicines, ARY News reported.
The Kurram peace deal will be implemented from January 4 with a convoy of passengers set to travel to Parachinar in a security cordon, as reported by ARY News on Thursday.
According to ARY News, under the agreement signed during the grand Jirga, all bunkers will be demolished within 15 days, and all types of arms will be collected and handed over to the government. It is expected that the situation will likely be returned to normalcy after the handing over of arms and demolition of bunkers. (ANI)
