PARACHINAR: A shutter down strike and protest demonstrations were held in Parachinar and Sadda towns on Wednesday against torching of vehicles by a mob following the killing of two people over a family dispute the other day.

However, the Thall-Parachinar Road remained open to traffic.

On the appeal of traders’ associations markets remained closed for three hours in Parachinar, while people assembled in front of the press club and staged a protest demonstration.

A strike was also observed in Sadda town to condemn the double murder.

Three vehicles were torched in Sadda after killing of a man and his son near Parachinar the other day.

Local officials said cause of the double murder was a dispute between two families hailing from upper and lower tehsils of Kurram.

The protesters demanded deployment of army along the main road to ensure safety of commuters. Elders said many people had been murdered in personnel enmities, honour killings, but such incidents should not be used to flare up sectarian rifts.

They demanded of the administration to arrest elements involved in attack on vehicles in Sadda. They said such attacks had also happened in the past and the government should take precautionary measures to prevent such incidents in future.

Meanwhile, senior officers of the civil administration and army visited Sadda on Wednesday and held talks with the elders. Officials said law and order situation was discussed in the backdrop of the riots in Sadda. Security arrangements for Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) were also discussed.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2019