Christian man beheaded in Pakistan’s restive Kurram as peace jirga delays agreement

A Christian man, identified as Nadeem, was beheaded by unidentified assailants in Sadda, Kurram, amid ongoing peace talks, police officials said on Tuesday.

“Nadeem’s body was found and handed over to his family. The investigation is underway,” said Yaqoob, in charge of the Sadda Police Control Room.

A gruesome video circulating on social media shows militants beheading Nadeem and kicking his severed head.

Sources said Nadeem, a daily-wage laborer who lived in a hut with his family, was targeted for allegedly belonging to Parachinar's Shia community. However, he was merely a resident of the area and not a member of the community.

On December 23, two other men from Parachinar, Ishaq Hussain and Waseem Abbas, were similarly beheaded in Kurram’s Bagan area.

Peace jirga delayed again

A grand jirga held in Kohat to resolve Kurram’s sectarian conflict adjourned without finalizing the 14-point peace agreement.

Ali Jawad, representing the Shia community, stated, “All 33 Shia representatives have signed, but Sunni leaders requested more time.”

Convener Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif expressed hope for a resolution. “Both parties have reached a consensus, and Sunni representatives are expected to sign tomorrow,” he said.

The agreement outlines addressing land disputes, resettling displaced families, removing bunkers, and curbing hate speech.

Protests in Parachinar and beyond

In Parachinar, protests entered their 11th day, with residents demanding the reopening of the Tall-Parachinar Road, closed for 83 days.

Solidarity sit-ins in Karachi and Peshawar entered their fifth day. Jalal Bangash of Anjuman-e-Hussainia Parachinar said, “Over 400,000 people face severe shortages due to road blockades. The government’s failure is shameful.”

The apex committee previously decided both parties would submit weapon surrender plans within 15 days, with complete disarmament by February 1, 2025.