Kurram (Web Desk): At least 38 people including a woman were killed on Thursday after assailants opened fire on passenger vehicles in Ochat area of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa’s (KP) Kurram district.
In a press conference in Islamabad Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the incident and confirmed that 38 persons were martyred in the gun attack.
According to police, gunmen ambushed a convoy of passenger vehicles traveling from Parachinar to Peshawar.
In addition to the fatalities, several others were injured, including three women.
The region has been grappling with ongoing tribal conflicts for months, leading to numerous casualties and escalating tensions.
The violence has not only taken a heavy toll on human life but has also caused severe disruption to daily life.
Roads connecting key areas, including Parachinar and Peshawar, have been repeatedly closed due to safety concerns, hindering the movement of people and goods.
These closures have created critical shortages of essential supplies such as food, medicine, and fuel, heightening fears of a looming humanitarian crisis.
Local tribal elders from the Turi and Bangash tribes have expressed alarm over the situation, warning that continued road blockages could lead to severe shortages and exacerbate the already dire living conditions in the area.
The suspension of 3G and 4G mobile services has also added to the distress, affecting education, business, and communication.
The region’s instability has deepened following violent clashes between rival tribes, which have flared up over land disputes.
A ceasefire was brokered in August, but violence erupted again in September, claiming 60 lives and leaving dozens more injured.
The persistent unrest, coupled with the interruption of basic services, continues to strain the local population, making a peaceful resolution more urgent than ever.
President Zardari, PM Shehbaz strongly condemn terrorist attack on innocent civilians in Kurram
President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the incident and expressed his condolences to the bereaved of the deceased.
“Attacking innocent passengers is a cowardly and inhumane act,” he was quoted as saying in a post on X by PPP’s media cell.
He added that those responsible for the incident should be punished. He urged that timely medical aid be provided to the injured.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the convoy of innocent civilians including women and children in district Kurram.
He directed to provide best medical care to those injured in the incident.
In a statement issued by the PM Office Press Wing, the premier ordered to bring those involved in the attack to justice.
Terming the attack on the innocent civilians, an act of barbarism, PM Shehbaz emphasized that the enemies of the nation will fail in all their nefarious attempts to destroy the peace of the country.
He vowed that the perpetrators involved in this incident will be identified and given exemplary punishment.
“The cowardly acts of the saboteurs cannot diminish the courage of the brave Pakistani nation,” PM Shehbaz said.