Health crisis in blockaded Kurram district triggers protests across Pakistan

Thousands of protesters staged demonstrations across Pakistan on Friday demanding immediate action to end a 79-day blockade that has cut off over 400,000 residents of the country's remote northwestern Kurram district, where 31 children have died amid severe medicine shortages.

The protests, led by Shia organizations, came as residents in Kurram's main city Parachinar entered their seventh day of sit-ins in harsh winter conditions. The crisis began November 21 when gunmen killed 43 Shia Muslims traveling from Parachinar to Peshawar, triggering retaliatory violence between Shia and Sunni communities that has left at least 153 dead and displaced hundreds of families.

The ensuing blockade has paralyzed life in more than 100 villages, creating severe shortages of food, medicine, and other essential supplies. Local leaders say the area has effectively been under siege since the violence erupted, with its main highway to Peshawar, the provincial capital, remaining closed.

Crisis deepens in Parachinar

In Parachinar, protesters passed a strongly worded joint resolution accusing the government of abandoning the region to violence. "Kurram has been aflame for many years, and despite repeated agreements, peace remains elusive," the resolution stated.

The protesters outlined 11 comprehensive demands, including the formation of a security platoon representing every tribe and sect across Kurram, filling 399 vacant police positions, and resolving long-standing land disputes through a commission within one month.

Children holding posters take part in a protest condemning sectarian clashes in Pakistan's Kurram district, which borders Afghanistan, in Islamabad on December 27, 2024. AFP

They also called for a judicial inquiry into security forces' alleged negligence during the November 21 convoy attack that triggered the current crisis.

Infrastructure demands included completing a railway track and establishing emergency flights. The resolution also urged action against social media accounts accused of spreading sectarian hatred.

"We have endured a life of suffering for 40 years, and now we don't even have poison to end it, let alone food or treatment," said Muzamil Hussain, Tehsil Chairman and leader of the Parachinar sit-in. Hussain vowed to continue the protest "even if we are shelled or shot at," and said protest organizers across the country had committed to maintaining pressure until their demands are met.

Nationwide protests erupt

The Millat-e-Jafaria, a prominent Shia organization, declared Friday a nationwide protest day, leading to coordinated demonstrations across major cities. In Islamabad, the Shia Ulema Council organized protests after Friday prayers, with large crowds marching from the Central Imambargah G-6/2 to the National Press Club.

Protest condemning sectarian clashes in Pakistan's Kurram district, which borders Afghanistan, in Islamabad on December 27, 2024.AFP

Demonstrations also spread to Rawalpindi, where protesters gathered outside Imambargah Yadgar Hussain in Satellite Town. Protest resolutions passed at various locations condemned both federal and provincial governments' response to the crisis, with particular focus on child deaths due to medicine shortages.

In Karachi, Pakistan's commercial hub, simultaneous protests at multiple locations caused severe traffic disruption. Police contained demonstrators to footpaths at Five Star Chowrangi, but the intersection remained blocked. Protests spread across the city, including main Shahrah-e-Faisal, Numaish Chowrangi, Gulistan-e-Johar, Kamran Chowrangi, Rizvia Chowrangi, and near Samama Shopping Centre on University Road.

Provincial govt defends response

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government emphasized its ongoing relief efforts, particularly its helicopter service operations. A spokesperson for the Chief Minister's House reported on Friday that Thursday alone saw six flights transporting 145 people, bringing the total number of people airlifted to 613, including jirga members, children, women, students, and patients.

Officials said approximately ten tons of medicines and milk packets for children had been delivered to the region via air transport. Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur pledged to continue the helicopter service until land routes reopen and insisted his government was "utilizing all resources" to provide relief.

"The provincial government is making all possible efforts for a peaceful and mutually acceptable solution," Gandapur said, calling on stakeholders and local notables to support peace efforts. He emphasized that protecting citizens' lives and property remains the government's "top priority and responsibility."

Military distances itself

In a significant development, Pakistan's military appeared to reframe the nature of the conflict. Speaking at a press conference Friday, military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry characterized the situation in Kurram district as an old and complex issue rooted in tribal and land disputes rather than sectarian conflicts.

Chaudhry emphasized that politicians must solve the Kurram issue, warning against mischaracterizing local disputes. He pointed to deeper governance challenges, including misplaced priorities, weak legal frameworks, and administrative neglect.

The military spokesperson stressed that resolving the crisis would require political leadership to make the right decisions and law enforcement agencies to ensure their implementation.

Timeline of Kurram crisis

Pakistan’s remote Kurram district, straddling the border with Afghanistan, has long been a flashpoint for sectarian violence between Sunni and Shia communities, but tensions have escalated dramatically in late 2024.

Sectarian clashes in Pakistan's northwestern Kurram district killed 37 people and injured more than 150 in September 2024, ending after a tribal council brokered a ceasefire.

Violence erupted again on November 21 when gunmen attacked two convoys on the Parachinar-Peshawar highway, killing 43 Shia community members and triggering widespread sectarian fighting that left 82 dead by November 23.

After two failed ceasefires, the provincial government ordered the removal of private bunkers and weapons on December 20, setting a February 1, 2025 deadline while establishing emergency helicopter services for the isolated district.

Health officials revealed on December 23 that 31 children had died at District Headquarters Hospital Parachinar since October due to medicine shortages, though provincial spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif later denied reports of mounting casualties.

The crisis has left at least 153 dead and 200 injured since November, with 400,000 residents cut off from basic supplies as peace negotiations continue.

As 2024 drew to a close, the Kurram crisis exemplified how quickly sectarian violence can spiral into a broader humanitarian emergency in Pakistan's sensitive border regions. Government interventions - from peace negotiations to emergency airlifts - offered some relief.

*With additional reporting from Ahmer Rehman