Shia Inhabitant in Parachinar / Afghanistan border blockaded

After Colonel Tausif Akhtar of the Pakistani security forces announced the move on Monday evening at a news conference in Parachinar, the main town in Kurram – Kurram tribal district, near the Afghan border-, five border crossing points- Terimangal, Spina Shaga, Khairlachi, Burki and Shahidano Dand- have been shut, with security beefed up.

“We have done this due to internal security concerns, because there have been sectarian clashes in Kurram and we do not want miscreants from outside to exploit the situation,” said Akhtar.

The blockade comes amid reports that the Turis have once again refused to allow the militants to enter Afghanistan via Kurram. But by this, the only way of entering the food, fuel and medicine to the region is blocked. Tausif Akhtar is notorious among Shia Muslim of the region; he has killed and kidnapped many Shia.

“Colonel Tausif Akhtar is a big liar. What he’s done is not to bring the security to the region, but to torture and hurt Shia in Parachinar. The government enters some amount of food to Parachinar, but it’s not enough for the people, so we have to get most of our food from Afghanistan. I believe the government blocked the border to bring Shia to their knees.” A Parachinari Shia told ABNA.

“By this, they blocked the only way to enter the food for Shia in Parachinar. After the victory of Shia over Taliban in Shaluzan and Khivas, it’s a trick by Colonel Tausif Akhtar for Shia to make them tired and bring them to their knees and do whatever he wants to, but we don’t.” Another Parachinari Shia told ABNA.

It should be mentioned that, it’s more than 4 years that all the paths to Parachinar is blocked and people have to use Afghanistan land to take to other cities of Pakistan. If the border remains blocked, by approaching the cold season in Kurram Agency, we should predict a new disaster against Shia in the region.