World News | Pakistani Authorities Distribute Rs 3.7 Crore Compensation to Kurram Violence Victims
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. Pakistani authorities on Monday distributed compensation cheques totalling Rs 3.7 crore to the families of people killed in tribal sectarian violence in the restive Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Peshawar, Feb 10 (PTI) Pakistani authorities on Monday distributed compensation cheques totalling Rs 3.7 crore to the families of people killed in tribal sectarian violence in the restive Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Deputy Commissioner Kurram, Ashfaq Ahmed, distributed the cheques worth Rs 10 lakh each to 37 families.
He assured that after proper verifications, all affected families would receive their compensation, and added that a survey was ongoing to assess all damages, including in Bagan and other areas.
Sectarian clashes between the Alizai and Bagan tribes resulted in the killing of 133 people in the district between November 21 and December 2. It was triggered by an attack on a convoy of passenger vans near Parachinar.
A peace accord was signed between the two warring tribes on January 4.
According to Pakistan Disaster Management Authority's Kurram district Coordinator Shiraz Bacha, the process of distributing compensation cheques to the affected individuals is ongoing.
In total, the families of 133 people will receive the compensation.
In November last year, the families of the 37 people killed in the attack on the convoy were given compensation cheques worth Rs 3.7 crore in Parachinar.
Meanwhile, as part of a peace agreement, the demolition of bunkers belonging to rival groups in Upper and Lower Kurram continues, and according to authorities, 48 bunkers have been demolished so far.
The main routes in Kurram district have been blocked for over four and a half months, leaving the local population of 500,000 trapped in a dire situation.
Road blockades and fuel shortages have disrupted daily life in the district, forcing residents to walk long distances to hospitals. Many, including pregnant women and those with medical emergencies, die en route due to delayed care.
Essential medicines are scarce, businesses have collapsed, and poverty and unemployment have worsened.
The cold weather has led to a rise in children's illnesses, with over 250 reported deaths due to the lack of medicine. While the provincial government is airlifting supplies, they remain insufficient for the 500,000 affected people.
Member of Provincial Assembly Ali Hadi Irfani, speaking after Friday prayers in Parachinar, praised the local population's resilience amid ongoing hardships as he highlighted shortages of food and medical care.
Irfani urged the government to reopen roads immediately, announce an emergency relief package for the affected people, and ensure the safety of citizens.
Imam of the Central Jamia Mosque Parachinar, Allama Fida Hussain Mazaheri, stressed the need for Shia-Sunni unity to maintain lasting peace in the region and proposed forming a joint council of Shia and Sunni elders and scholars responsible for ensuring peace and collectively fighting against terrorists and extremists.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)