KARACHI: The Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) and Jafria Alliance on Tuesday highlighted the plight of the troubled region of Parachinar and said that a humanitarian crisis had been unfolding there, affecting not only Shias but people of all faiths.

They asked the federal and provincial governments and state institutions to solve the ongoing crisis in Parachinar and mitigate the sectarian bias in the region.

They urged that the Shia community living in Kurram should not be made a target of political vendetta, and immediate action should be taken to address the problem.

At separate press conferences, the leaders of the two organisations called for harmony and dialogue as the only way forward for restoring peace in the volatile region.

Addressing the press conference at Wahdat House, Allama Sadiq Jafari of the MWM along with other leaders, said that issue in Parachinar was not sectarian and a specific anti-Pakistan group was involved in creating chaos in the area.

MWM, Jafria Alliance say dialogue is the only way forward for restoring peace in volatile region

He alleged that the provincial government was equally responsible for ongoing killings and said that the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa must be held accountable for his failure to build peace in the region.

The MWM leaders condemned the violence in Kurram, particularly in Parachinar, where residents had been increasingly targeted by terrorists over the past three months.

Flanked by senior leaders, he said not only Shias but also people belonging to Ahle Sunnat community are suffering due to the blockade due to the shortage of petroleum products including food and medicines which has triggered a serious humanitarian crisis. “Over 50 innocent children have also died due to lack of medicine after roads blocked in the area,” Allama Jafari said.

“The provincial government’s role is no different in worsening the situation, as the closure of routes and lack of effective response from security agencies indicate complicity in the loss of innocent lives. The government’s failure to prevent the massacre and provide basic necessities to the residents of Parachinar only confirms their suspicions of government involvement.”

Meanwhile, the party also staged a protest sit-in at the Numaish intersection in solidarity with the five-day long protest in Parachinar.

Jafria Alliance press conference

At the Karachi Press Club, Jafria Alliance leader Allama Syed Razi Jafar Naqvi expressed deep concerns over the worsening situation in Kurram and the insensitivity of the government and institutions.

Accompanied by other leaders, he also highlighted the ongoing crisis and criticised the “deliberate escalation” of tensions in Parachinar.

He said that due to severe shortages of food and medical supplies, scores of innocent children had already lost their lives during the ongoing siege.

Allama Naqvi urged the government to take all possible measures to ensure lasting peace in the region.

He warned that the government’s lack of seriousness in handling the situation in Parachinar could pose a serious threat to national security.

He said for decades, sectarian intolerance had been destroying the fabric of Pakistani society, and now even the historically peaceful Kurram region had become a battleground for foreign agendas and terrorism.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2024