PESHAWAR: The death toll from sectarian clashes in northwest Pakistan has risen to 133, the provincial government said Monday, as tribal elders failed to ensure a truce between the feuding Sunni and Shiite Muslim communities.
Pakistan is a Sunni-majority country, but Kurram in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the border with Afghanistan, has a large Shiite population and the communities have clashed for decades.
At least “133 precious lives have been lost, and 177 people injured” in sporadic clashes since November 21, said a statement issued after a provincial cabinet meeting.
A tribal jirga, or council of elders, had been formed to ensure a truce that had remained elusive so far, it said.
“Bunkers set up by armed groups in Kurram will be dismantled and heavy weaponry ... will be confiscated,” the statement added.
The latest fighting broke out last Thursday when two separate convoys of Shiite Muslims traveling under police escort were ambushed, killing more than 40.
Since then days of fighting with light and heavy weapons have brought the region to a standstill, with major roads closed and mobile phone services cut as the death toll surged.
Anfal Hussain, who owns a pharmacy in Parachinar area, said “2024 has been extremely tough for Kurram” with dozens killed in clashes.
“I’ve been running this pharmacy for 11 years, but during the recent clashes the highway has been practically closed since October. This has caused significant shortages of food supplies and medicines,” Hussain, 36, told AFP.
“Many major illnesses cannot be treated in Parachinar’s hospitals, but they remain helpless due to the road closures,” he added.
A senior security official in the provincial capital Peshawar, speaking on condition of anonymity, on Friday told AFP that officials with the help of tribal elders were “close to achieving a truce,” after two earlier deals had failed to stymie the fighting.
“There are only two villages now where the sporadic firing is still taking place,” he said.
Police have regularly struggled to control violence in Kurram, which was part of the semi-autonomous Federally Administered Tribal Areas until it was merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said 79 people had been killed in the region between July and October in sectarian clashes.
The feuding is generally rekindled by disputes over land in the rugged mountainous region, and fueled by underlying tensions between communities from different sects.
Pakistan sectarian clashes toll reaches 133 since Nov. 21 — provincial government
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Pakistan sectarian clashes toll reaches 133 since Nov. 21 — provincial government
- A tribal jirga, or council of elders, had been formed to ensure a truce that has remained elusive so far
- Government says bunkers set up by armed groups to be dismantled and heavy weaponry confiscated
Pakistan to announce austerity plan on Monday amid rising fuel prices due to Middle East conflict
- The development follows an increase of Rs55 ($0.20) per liter in prices of petrol and diesel in Pakistan this week
- PM Shehbaz Sharif promises ‘maximum relief’ to people as soon as ‘this difficult phase passes’ and economy stabilizes
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to unveil an austerity plan tomorrow, Monday, as surging global oil prices, driven by United States and Israeli strikes on Iran, mount pressure on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government to curb spending and stabilize the economy, the PM’s office said on Sunday.
The development follows an increase of Rs55 ($0.20) per liter in the prices of petrol and diesel in Pakistan this week as the Strait of Hormuz, which supplies a fifth of the global oil consumption, faces disruptions due to US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s counter attacks on US interests in the Gulf region.
Pakistan’s Petroleum Division was directed to submit daily stock reports, while the country’s Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) was tasked with maintaining strict market oversight, officials said this week, as oil rose above $90 a barrel globally, the highest in years.
Sharif on Sunday presided over a meeting to review measures to stabilize the economy amid the Middle East conflict, with officials saying global supply disruptions and price fluctuations may have an impact on Pakistan, according to the prime minister’s office.
“In view of the recent international situation, timely implementation of measures is essential for the country’s economic stability,” Sharif was quoted as saying at the meeting. “The government is constantly monitoring the situation and all necessary decisions will be taken to provide all possible stability to the national economy.”
Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s Finance Minister said that Islamabad was preparing alternative plans to manage the financial impact of rising oil prices.
Speaking at the meeting, Sharif said the austerity measures must protect the interest of the people.
“All government employees and ministers will have to adopt austerity,” he said. “In the current difficult times, it is important to ensure wise use of national resources and as soon as this difficult phase passes and the economy becomes more stable, the government will provide maximum relief to the people.”
Instructions regarding austerity and simplicity will not be applicable to the industry and agriculture sectors so that the country’s production, exports and food security are not affected, according to Sharif’s office.
Several suggestions and recommendations based on austerity and simplicity were presented at the meeting, which were reviewed in detail by participants.
“The briefing was informed that the country has adequate reserves of diesel, petrol and other petroleum products and the government has made advance arrangements to deal with any emergency,” Sharif’s office said.
