ISLAMABAD, April 12: Hundreds of people hailing from the Kurram Agency on Thursday held a demonstration in front of the parliament house to demand an end to the sectarian violence and the influx of outsiders, including Taliban, into the area.

The protesters included students and elders, and were led by MNA Dr Syed Javed Hussain.

The demonstrators said there was no Shia-Sunni strife in the area and some anti-state elements were flaring up the situation. They urged the government to check and put an end to cross-border firing and entry of local Taliban from North and South Waziristan Agencies. They also called upon authorities to provide adequate medical facilities to those injured in the violence.

Addressing the protesters, Mr Javed said that the prolonged curfew and tension in the area had deprived people of their basic needs, adding that hospitals were getting over crowded and there was an acute water shortage due to non-availability of electricity.