The recent wave of clash and violence lands Parachinar into dark phase of humanitarian crisis. The shortage of health facilities and medicines making the condition even worse. The mounting patients and children are in dire need of medical care.
Parachinar is a volatile area near Afghan border. It has history of suffering emerging from land ownership, sectarian clashes and militant attacks. Besides that, this region lacks infrastructure and modern facilities. Every time clash erupts, it leads to the closure of main road.
In addition, following the last month attack on a convey of vehicles and armed clashes left many people dead. The situation gets gloomy with the closure of the Parachinar-Peshawar highway. At the same time, the Pak-Afghan border is not operational. This blockage invited a dire shortage of food, medicine and other daily-use items located close to border area.
On Tuesday, Faisal Edhi, a philanthropist, briefed that Parachinar was ill-equipped to deal with the deepening humanitarian crisis. He said, “There is no infrastructure in place to keep these patients warm, and we don’t even have enough firewood to provide heat.”
Furthermore, he addressed the miserable plight of the locals who are in the tight grip of present suffering in Parachinar. Choppers are transferring the food, medicine and essential items to the restive parts of Khurram as main road is not open. The Edhi Air Ambulance Service is providing medicines to Parachinar. It is playing crucial role in shifting sick and injured to Peshawar for medical assistance. On the other hand, the hospitals are continuous complaining about shortage of medicine
However, KP government stated that the third consignment of medicines had reached Parachinar. But the local activist, Shahid Kazmi, criticised the failure of government to confront the situation and ensuring the roads mobility.
Meanwhile, Deputy commissioner of Kurram reported that the grand jirga has resumed activities to maintain peace in the Parachinar region. MNA Kurram, Ali Hadi Irfan, said that thousands of people were ‘besieged for more than 70 days’ because of road closure. The situation calls for an urgent provision of medical care and opening the Parachinar Road for travellers. The government needs to draft layout to make the roads secure for the locals.
