Protesting LG representatives warn of resignations if Kurram routes remain shut
Upper Kurram Tehsil chairman says if road blockades continue, he will step down along with other LG reps
- Roads closed for about two, half months.
- Upper Kurram residents are in dire straits.
- Hussain claims over 100 kids died in hospitals.
PARACHINAR: As the sit-in protest against closure of the Afghan border and arteries entered its sixth day in Parachinar, the representatives of local government (LG) have warned that they would leave their offices if the routes in Kurram district were not reopened immediately, The News reported on Thursday.
If the road blockades continue, Upper Kurram Tehsil Chairman Agha Muzamil Hussain said, he would step down along with other LG representatives in protest.
It has been about two and a half months since the routes including the Afghan border and Peshawar-Parachinar Road have not been opened for vehicular movement.
The situation grew worse after the gun attack on passenger vehicles, that ensued another round of fighting in Kurram.
Residents of Upper Kurram are in desperate straits as a result of the routes closure, which has caused significant shortages of daily essentials, including food items, and gas and fuel. The unavailability of medicines has aggravated their plight, leading to a six-day sit-in protest outside the Parachinar Press Club.
In his speech at the sit-in, Tehsil Chairman Hussain claimed that over 100 children had died in hospitals because of lack of treatment, while an equal number of people had succumbed to cancer and other diseases.
He warned that if the roads were not reopened immediately, he and other local government representatives would submit their resignations.
Meanwhile, the district administration stated that not only Parachinar but over 100 border villages in Upper Kurram are severely affected. Areas such as Boshehra, Muqbal, Burki, Teri Mangal and Pewar are facing acute shortages of medicines and food supplies.
Similarly, in Shaluzan, Malana, Luqmankhel, Zeran, and Kardman, petroleum products, medicines and food items have become unavailable. The officials said efforts were underway to resolve the issue through dialogue.
