PAKISTAN'S KILLING FIELDS ARE SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL

On 21 November, passenger vehicles in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (KP) Lower Kurram were attacked, resulting in 43 deaths while more than 30 people were injured.

- MAJ GEN JAGATBIR SINGH, VSM (RETD)

On 21 November, passenger vehicles in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (KP) Lower Kurram were attacked, resulting in 43 deaths while more than 30 people were injured. The casualties were confirmed by the Kurram Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud, adding that the deceased included seven women and a nine-year-old girl.

The attack occurred in the Mandori Charkhel area, a region with a history of sectarian tensions and land disputes. Apparently, the convoy, consisting of approximately 200 vehicles, was on its way from Parachinar to Peshawar when it came under heavy gunfire and resulted in one of the biggest single mass-casualty attacks in Pakistan this year. According to witnesses, the vehicles were ambushed from four sides. The convoy consisted mostly of members of the Shia community.

The road, a vital lifeline for the district, had only recently reopened after being closed for three weeks because of an ambush on 12 October that left at least 16 people dead. During the closure, residents of Parachinar were cut off from essential supplies, including food and fuel, leading to a growing humanitarian crisis. In late July, a weeklong clash between Sunni and Shiite communities left 46 dead and hundreds injured. Another bout of violence in September claimed 45 lives and wounded dozens. The intensity, frequency, and damage from these incidents are only increasing and exposing the failing credibility of both the Provincial and Federal Governments.

PAKISTAN'S KP PROVINCE