Residents of Parachinar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district, have initiated a shutter-down strike to protest the prolonged closure of the Parachinar-Thall Road, the city’s sole access route. The road has been blocked since November 21, 2024, following a deadly attack on a convoy in the Bagan area that resulted in over 50 fatalities. Subsequent clashes, stemming from longstanding land disputes, led to at least 130 more deaths. Despite a ceasefire agreement reached on January 1, 2025, the situation remains volatile, with continued attacks on aid convoys, security personnel, and government officials.
Haji Imdad Hussain, president of the Parachinar Traders Union, reported that no aid convoys have entered the city since March 27, 2025, exacerbating shortages of essential goods. He highlighted the severe lack of school books as the new academic session commenced in early March, forcing children to attend school without necessary materials. Additionally, the scarcity of fuel has led to black market prices ranging from Rs700 to Rs1,000 per litre. Over 300 trucks loaded with supplies remain stranded between Hangu district’s Thall and Doaba cities, awaiting clearance to enter Parachinar. Traders are reportedly paying over Rs1 million in rent for a single vehicle to transport goods, with vehicles idling along roads in Hangu for weeks, incurring daily costs of Rs10,000.
The traders are demanding the immediate reopening of the road and the reduction of checkpost inspections to alleviate the hardships faced by the community. They have pledged to continue their protest until the routes are reopened and normalcy is