By Andleeb Haider
Sectarian violence, charges of blasphemy against minorities like Ahmadis, Christians, or Shias, mob lynching, Shia killings, and Shia genocide are terms or phrases that are most often echoed in Pakistani media and on social media around the globe.
Again, we hear these echoes from Parachinar, northwest of Pakistan. Kurram is an area in northwest Pakistan that was directly administered by representatives of the British during British colonialism. After Pakistan’s independence in 1947, this changed little. In 2018, Kurram was incorporated into the province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). This district, Kurram, is divided into three areas: Upper Kurram, Central Kurram, and Lower Kurram. It is very important to know the geography and demography of Parachinar to understand the recent wave of violence and siege.
Located west of Peshawar, Parachinar is the capital of the larger Kurram district. It borders three Afghan regions: Paktia, Khost, and Nangarhar. On the map, Parachinar appears to be carved out of Afghanistan. There is only one road connecting Parachinar to the rest of Pakistan. This road is called ‘Thall Parachinar’ because the town is situated on a mountain, and there is no other road leading down from it. Parachinar was an important location during the Soviet-American war in Afghanistan, and the people of Parachinar suffered great losses during the war, although ideologically they were not part of this great game. They were on neither America’s nor the Soviet Union’s side.
During the Soviet war, America brought jihadists from Arab countries, Pakistan, and all over the world; they were transported to Kabul through Parachinar. Kabul is just 90 kilometers away from Parachinar. This border city of Pakistan was actually a launching pad for these jihadists. America, the Pakistani army, and local Sunni tribes were helping these jihadists cross the border from Parachinar, making it an ideal location for them to launch attacks against Soviet forces. In retaliation, Soviet forces and Afghan allies would bomb Kurram Agency and Parachinar. In fact, this local Shia population was neither pro-Soviet Union nor pro-jihad. However, they paid a great price for this war, and unfortunately, not just once, but several times.

Lower Kurram became Sunni dominant when jihadists from all around came together and inhabited here. In the 1980s, the local Shia population, especially the Turi tribes, resisted the jihadists to stop retaliatory attacks on Parachinar. However, the passage was strategically very important. Right-wing dictator Zia ul Haq attempted to turn Kurram into a permanent base for the jihadists, despite resistance from the local Shia population. General Zia ul Haq introduced a bill in 1987 that stipulated that everyone had to pay 2.5 percent of their salary annually as zakat (Islamic alms) to the government. The entire Shia community refused to comply and held protests in front of parliament. Zia had to back down and withdraw the proposal. In retaliation, he deployed jihadists against the people of Parachinar. He sent local jihadists from Sunni tribes and Afghan mujahedin to fight the Shiite Turi tribes. In the process, 14 villages were completely destroyed. Equipped with U.S. weapons, these pro-government groups began attacking their religious and tribal opponents in High Kurram and Parachinar and looting their villages.
The situation in this border region has always been tense; peace and prosperity in this region have never been the priority of the government and establishment of Pakistan. Complicated politics, complex geography, colonial issues, lack of resources, backwardness, and religious hatred have created an accumulation of problems in Kurram. From time to time, there have been clashes between these tribes, with religious hatred usually being the immediate cause. In 1996, religious clashes claimed the lives of 200 people. After the September 11, 2001, attacks in the US, Kurram again faced the consequences of attacks carried out by Saudi nationals. Jihadists began gathering in Kurram once more to cross the borders into Afghanistan to fight against the US. Meanwhile, the Shia tribes chose to support the Afghan Hazara population. Once again, Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban from both sides carried out attacks on Parachinar and other Shia-dominated areas.
In Parachinar, during a procession in 2007, firing occurred, resulting in the deaths of 10 people and several others wounded. The assailants remained “unknown.” As a result of this attack, clashes erupted, surrounding the entire Kurram region. Parachinar was under siege for 8 days, with no food, no medicine, and no fuel. According to local news sources, around 10 missiles were fired from Afghanistan into Parachinar, 40 villages were destroyed, and approximately 3,000 people were displaced. These fights and clashes continued intermittently over the next four years. The TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) joined this conflict and blocked the only road, Thall-Parachinar. This road is a lifeline for the people of Parachinar. After the blockage of this road, Parachinar became completely cut off from the rest of Pakistan. From 2007 to 2011, the local population of Upper Kurram and Parachinar traveled in convoys under the supervision of the Frontier Corps or the Pakistan Army.
The 2008 Murree agreement stipulated that the Thall-Parachinar road would be opened, displaced people would be brought back, and the villages would be rehabilitated. The agreement was signed by both parties, but there was no implementation at all. In 2011, the TTP Haqqani group proposed a peace deal with the Shia Turi tribes. Two elected MNAs deposited 40 million rupees as security to the Haqqani network. However, the attacks on the convoys and passengers never stopped.
According to municipal records, Shia Muslims comprise 43% of Kurram’s population, while Sunni Muslims make up 57%. However, Shia tribes possess more land compared to their Sunni counterparts. Those who control larger landholdings consider it their legal entitlement based on the English Land Records applicable nationwide. During the land disputes linked to conflicts in 1996 and 2007, Sunni tribes occupied contested lands, seeking resolution through local committees known as “jirgah.”
A recent incident highlighting this ongoing conflict occurred in the village of Bushehra, Parachinar, in 2023, where a land dispute resulted in seven fatalities and thirty-seven injuries. The locals turned to the Finance Department’s Land Records to determine ownership, which confirmed that the land in question belonged to the Shia-dominant tribes.
Ultimately, the jirgah decided that the land belonged to the Shia tribes, but opted to lease it to a third party for one year. This third party initially paid the lease amount; however, when the time came to return the land to its rightful owners, the Sunni tribes breached their agreement. This breach escalated into renewed sectarian violence, leading to the tragic loss of forty-nine lives and injuring two hundred people.
The fertile land of the region is capable of producing a wide variety of crops. Additionally, the mountains surrounding upper Kurram and Parachinar are rich in valuable minerals such as soapstone, talc, sipstone, and serpentines. Unfortunately, these resources have attracted extremist groups eager to eliminate the local population to seize control. These groups are often supported by influential figures with significant power.
On November 24, 2024, under military supervision, a convoy of roughly 200 vehicles was making its way from Peshawar to Parachinar when it was ambushed by gunmen in lower Kurram. The devastating attack resulted in the deaths of 49 individuals, including a six-month-old baby. Among those affected were two young men, Shaheed Waseem Abbas and Shaheed Ishaq Hussain, who had been away from Parachinar for the last ten years due to the treacherous conditions of the roads that rarely allowed safe passage. Starting their journey on foot, they hoped their unarmed status would enable them to cross on humanitarian grounds. Tragically, their hopes were shattered when they made it to Ochat, a region in lower Kurram. Identified as Shia, they were forcibly removed from the bus and brutally killed.
In the wake of this ambush, Parachinar is once again under siege. The roads have been closed, leaving the community without food, medicine, or fuel. Tragically, 29 children have succumbed to illness as a result of the lack of medical supplies. In response to the slaughter of these young men, the local residents of Parachinar have gathered in peaceful protests to demand justice and the basic rights that have been denied to them.
In the midst of this challenging situation, both the Federal Government, led by the PML-N, and the Provincial Government under the PTI have been oscillating like a game of ping pong regarding the Kurram crisis. A blame game has erupted, with accusations flying between the two parties. After enduring weeks of turmoil, a meeting finally took place on December 23rd to assess the situation in Kurram. This gathering ultimately designated Kurram as a disaster-stricken area.

The Chief Minister of KPK announced a zero-tolerance policy towards arms and ammunition in Kurram district, emphasizing the need to disarm both factions involved. However, there are pressing concerns from the Shia tribes, who have faced assaults from both sides across the border. In response to the authorities’ decisions and the heart-wrenching murder of two young men, protests have erupted, including a sit-in in Parachinar. The demonstrators demand peace, stability, and essential services such as education and healthcare for their children. They also seek the reopening and securing of the Thall-Parachinar road to ensure safe travel and urge the resolution of land disputes based on the records maintained by the Finance Department.
The ongoing sectarian violence and conflict starkly illustrate how imperialism and regional power struggles bring about not only death and destruction but also disturb long-standing local dynamics. The lack of resources for education and health, compounded by an uncertain future, perpetuates a cycle of violence and instability. The plight of Parachinar’s residents remains largely unnoticed by the global community. It is time to bring this reality to light.