Islamabad. More than 64 people have died in the last one week in the ongoing violence between Shia and Sunni communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Violence over land dispute has escalated here. Violence is showing no signs of stopping in the terror-hit Kurram district bordering Afghanistan. A ceasefire agreement was signed here only a month ago. Despite this, bloody clashes could not be stopped here.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province governor Faisal Karim Kundi said bloody clashes also broke out on Friday in which several people were killed. Police say that this fight started over land. When Boshehra Shias of Upper Kurram area started building bunkers on the land of Sunni Ahmadzai community people, their protest started. After this the fire of violence spread throughout the area and many houses were set on fire. In the clashes that took place at various places, sticks, rods and ammunition were used, in which dozens of people were killed. However, there has been tension between Shia and Sunni here for about 10 years.
Even before this, about 50 people had died in the violence. Seeing the deepening of the dispute, the government intervened and brokered an agreement between the two communities in the month of August. Security officials say that traffic has been affected due to the violence that broke out again. Apart from this, the supply of food items has also reduced. People are also in need of fuel and medicines. Educational institutions have been closed due to violence.
Kurram is a hilly area and its border is with Afghanistan. About seven lakh people live here, out of which 42% are from Shia community. Sunni majority Pakistan, with a population of about 24 crores, has a high number of Sunnis around the city of Parachinar. Caste violence has been going on here for a long time.
The violence that started on Saturday last week continued for the sixth day on Thursday. According to the police, both sides are targeting each other with small and big weapons. Parachinar-Peshawar main road and Pak-Afghan Kharlachi border have been closed due to tension. This has disrupted the supply of essential commodities including food, fuel and medicines.