Convoy transporting relief goods targeted in Bagan
Tariq Saeed
The ordeal of the starving dwellers of the militancy and infighting hit Kurram tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, that has been seeing bloodshed over the decades, is yet to be over as the supplies of the essentials to the locals, facing severe food shortage, was again halted on Thursday following a cargo convoy was attacked.
The convoy transporting relief goods for Parachinar, Bagan, Alizai, Balashkhel, Sadda and other areas of Kurram district was targeted in Bagan in Kurram. Reports reaching here said adding unknown miscreants ambushed the goods trucks and opened firing with some reports saying a rocket was also fired on the convoy. Though a couple of vehicles were damaged, no casualty was reported. However, following the attack, vehicles from the convoy started returning to Tal. Cargo trucks stationed at the Chapri checkpoint have also begun retreating.
The Kurram aid convoys aim to provide relief to the region which is plagued with militancy and blood shed over the decades. In fact Kurram, a district of more than 600,000 residents near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan, has long been a hotspot for sectarian violence. Recent months have seen escalating tensions, with clashes since July to date leaving over 200 people including female and children dead and more that 500 hundred seriously wounded.
The Kurram district was also declared “disaster-hit” by the KP provincial government with authorities airlifting medical supplies to the area and evacuating people in critical need. Besides, the KP Govt also launched MI-17 copter service for the quick transportation of residents to safer places.
Residents of Kurram have been badly waiting for the continued supply of relief goods as the aid convoy remains stranded due to heightened tensions after an attack on the deputy commissioner Kurram a few weeks back. The first convoy, initially scheduled to deliver supplies on January 4, has been stuck in Tall for almost a week. Authorities had already announced a curfew along the highway during the convoy’s transit and imposed Section 144 in the district following the attack.
“A rocket attack on the third aid convoy heading to Kurram in Bagan caused damage to a couple of vehicles thus creating harassment, uncertainty and a sense of insecurity among those associated with the relief activities”. A source confided to Pakistan Observer adding that has also shaken confidence in the recently signed Kurram peace agreement. The district administration shared details of the convoy, stating that the first phase included 35 cargo vehicles. These vehicles carried essential supplies like medicines, fruits, vegetables, and other food items. Additional vehicles were expected to leave for Kurram in a second phase later in the day. It is concerning that to ensure the safety of the convoy, security forces including police and the Frontier Corps (FC) , a paramilitary force, are also deployed thus sparking apprehensions about the effectiveness of the security measures. It may be mentioned that Section 144 has already been imposed in the strife-torn Kurram district for a period of two months with ban over exhibition of arms and gathering of four or more people.
On the other hand patients in Kurram continue to face severe hardships as the helicopter service for medical transfers has been suspended for 10 days. Dr. Mir Hussain Jan, the Medical Superintendent of the District Headquarters Hospital, confirmed the suspension while speaking to the media. He noted that the helicopter service, vital for transporting medicines and patients, has remained out of operation. Dr. Jan said a request had been made to the district administration to resume the service. He added that 74 patients need immediate transfers, as road travel under the current conditions is unlikely though the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Religious Affairs Muhammad Adnan Qadri insisted the helicopter service was not halted and still operational.
In the past two weeks, the government has already sent two aid consignments to Kurram. Residents, however, have voiced concerns, stating that 25 truckloads of goods are insufficient. They urged the government to resume the helicopter service and ensure adequate medical supplies. The citizens are facing hardships due to shortage of edibles and other essential items and demanded of the government to ensure cargo convoys keep moving without interruption under adequate security cover.
While the authorities are required to ensure uninterrupted supplies to the starving residents of the Kurram where the prices of the foods and other essential items have jacked up 300 to 400%, the concerned agencies are also duty bound to ensure foolproof and effective security arrangements especially for the convoys carrying transporting essential supplies to Kurram.
