Pakistan

ANP leader Iftikhar Hussain visits Parachinar for the first time in his political life

Awami National Party leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain visited Parachinar (Kurram Agency) for the first time and it was a mutual pain for the victims of terrorism that took him there because he had lost his son at the hands of terrorists and he and the tribal Shia Muslims are fighting the same enemy — terrorism.

Mr Hussain, who also lost his only son Mian Rashid Hussain some seven years ago for openly opposing terrorism and terrorist outfits, was warmly welcomed by the locals of Parachinar. Almost each Turi-Bangash tribe family in the small town of Parachinar was affected by twin bombings on June 23 — the last Friday of Ramazan. The two bombings took more than 100 precious lives, injured more than 200 and changed lives of many left behind forever.
“I had gone as a student leader stealthily to tribal areas but it was my first time to openly walk among the people, visit markets and even attend a condolence meeting at an Imambargah,” the ANP leader told Dawn on his return from Parachinar.
Locals warmly welcome Mian Iftikhar Hussain during his visit to Parachinar
Mian Iftikhar, who added ‘Hussain’ himself to his name while enrolling in school at the age of five, said that he could associate with the people of Parachinar because he had seen the devastation a terrorist bomb blast brings with it.
He could not reach Parachinar right after the tragic event to console the mourning families that had gone on a sit-in for seven days when rest of the country was observing Eidul Fitr. He finally made it to the tribal agency when the local authorities allowed him entry to the tribal region.
It is pertinent to mention here that politicians hailing from Pakistan Peoples’ Party were also denied entry to join the sit-in of the locals earlier. Only Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan was flown to the sit-in and he spoke there.
It was only after assurances of Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa with the protesters that let led to end of the sit-in. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also sent Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra with compensation checques to Parachinar. All this while when the social media was buzzing with these visits and their details, Mr Hussain got green signal from local authorities and rushed in to the area. Unlike political leaders or government functionaries, he walked among them, visited the bombing site, went to shops to offer Fateha and console bereaving families.

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