Dera Ismail Khan [Pakistan], December 22 : The main highway in Pakistan's Kurram District, located near the Pakistan Afghan border, has remained closed for 73 consecutive days due to ongoing unrest, leading to severe hardships for locals. Protesters claim that the residents of Parachinar are now on the verge of starvation, The Express Tribune reported.
The prolonged road closures have cut off Kurram District from other regions, disrupting the supply chain to Upper Kurram, which is home to nearly 400,000 people. Essential supplies, including food, medicine, fuel, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), have run out, leaving residents in dire need.
The situation has forced all public and private educational institutions in Upper Kurram to shut down due to fuel shortages. ATMs in the area are out of cash, exacerbating the financial difficulties faced by the population. Businesses such as hotels, bakeries, and shops selling vegetables and fruits have also been forced to close due to the lack of supplies, as per The Express Tribune.
Border officials have confirmed that the Pak-Afghan Kharlachi border is also completely inactive, with no movement reported.
According to The Express Tribune, Hospitals are facing critical shortages of medicines, leading to the deaths of patients, including children. Zulfiqar Ali mentioned that the provincial government, Punjab government, and Edhi Air Ambulance are attempting to address the crisis by providing medicines via helicopters and air ambulances.
Meanwhile, citizens in Kurram District have started a sit-in against the road closures. They demand the immediate reopening of roads and the provision of food and medicine for the stranded population.
Leaders of a sit-in protest outside the Parachinar Press Club have raised alarms over the worsening situation in Kurram District, where the main highway and Afghan border have been closed for over two and a half months. Protest leaders Iqrar Iqrar Turi, Mir Afzal Khan, Samar Bangash, and Shafaat Hussain said the population of Parachinar has been forced into starvation due to the closure of the main highway
Labourers working in the local markets have also joined the protest with their handcarts.
Protesters are demanding immediate action to reopen the roads and ensure the delivery of essential supplies to the region.
The leaders warned that failure to reopen and secure the roads could result in a major humanitarian crisis. The district administration explained that the roads were closed due to security concerns following incidents of firing on passenger convoys and clashes in Kurram District.
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