‘Effectively besieged’: Parachinar crisis drags on despite Kharlachi border reopening

Over 400,000 residents of Parachinar in Pakistan’s Kurram district continue to face severe hardship despite the reopening of the Kharlachi border crossing with Afghanistan after a seven-month closure.

The key Thall-Parachinar Road — the only major land route connecting the area to the rest of the country — remains closed since October 12 last year, leaving the region effectively isolated.

Crisis persists

Islam Ali, a local import-export agent, said the reopening of the Kharlachi border is a welcome step, but it has failed to bring real relief.

As part of the disarmament campaign, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has demolished 979 illegal private bunkers and recovered a large cache of weapons, including 151 heavy arms, 18,830 rounds of ammunition, and 278 bags of assorted weapons.Courtesy: District Administration Kurram

“Without the restoration of the Thall-Parachinar Road, peace and normalcy remain elusive,” he told Nukta.

Ali said daily traffic at the border has plummeted from 200 to just 40 vehicles, most of which enter Pakistan empty. “There’s no visa facility at Kharlachi, and with the main road closed, residents can’t even reach other cities to apply,” he added.

Musarrat Hussain, a local leader from Shia community, said the region remains under de facto siege, with food, fuel, and other prices soaring by two to three times.

“The government has taken no action,” Hussain told Nukta. “The people have surrendered weapons as required, but there’s no peace without the road.”

He added that the Kharlachi border caters mostly to trade and has little impact on the everyday crisis in Parachinar. “Vehicles travel directly from Thall to Kharlachi and back without any halt,” he said.

Disarmament campaign

As part of the disarmament campaign, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has demolished 979 illegal private bunkers and recovered a large cache of weapons, including 151 heavy arms, 18,830 rounds of ammunition, and 278 bags of assorted weapons, according to Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Information.

A security official, speaking to Nukta on condition of anonymity, said a Road Protection Force is being raised specifically for Kurram.Courtesy: District Administration Kurram

He said 86 villages in Kurram have been declared weapon-free zones, which he described as a milestone in efforts to restore order and development.

Barrister Saif also outlined several development initiatives, including the approval of PKR 100 million for the repair of the Thall-Parachinar Road.

He said a separate PKR 9.6 billion road expansion project is underway, while over PKR 300 million has been spent so far on a PKR 728 million market renovation scheme.

A security official, speaking to Nukta on condition of anonymity, said a Road Protection Force is being raised specifically for Kurram. So far, 200 personnel have been inducted, with another 200 to follow. Security posts are also under construction.

Meanwhile, helicopter missions have delivered over 29,000 kilograms of medical supplies to Parachinar, and more than 9,200 residents — including medical patients — have been evacuated to Peshawar and other cities, Saif said.

Ray of hope

Amir Nawaz, Additional Deputy Commissioner, said convoys carrying essential goods are still operating on the closed road and efforts are underway to restore peace.

“We’re hopeful that peace will soon be restored and the road reopened,” Nawaz said.

Izzat Gul Orakzai, head of the Kurram Grand Jirga, told Nukta that the disarmament process is nearly complete and an announcement regarding the reopening of the Thall-Parachinar Road is likely after Eid al Adha.

“A meeting of the grand jirga will be convened soon to make the final decision,” Orakzai said.