Kurram, Pakistan – On November 21, 2024, gunmen in Pakistan killed at least 38 Shiite travelers journeying from Parachinar to Peshawar. The attack occurred in the Ochat area of the Lower Kurram region in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, a highly volatile area with a history of sectarian clashes. In the aftermath, violence erupted across the Kurram region, with Shiite and Sunni tribes targeting each other’s villages, burning markets, and residential areas. Within days, over 130 people lost their lives, and hundreds were injured, forcing families to flee to different parts of KP in search of safety.
Weeks later, the situation remains tense. Recently, both sides organized a sit-in at Parachinar, the headquarters of Kurram district, to protest the ongoing violence. The sit-in continued even after a peace deal was signed, with demands for reopening roads and ensuring safety in public travel. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has labeled the current situation a “humanitarian crisis.”
The conflict dynamics in Kurram involve tribal land disputes, sectarian clashes, and the presence of terrorist groups. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), notorious for its anti-Shia stance, has exploited these fault lines to strengthen its presence, intensifying the sectarian rift. Other militant organizations, such as the Islamic State and the anti-Sunni Zainebiyoun Brigade, have also become active in the region.
As terrorism wreaks havoc across the country, tribal rivalries and land disputes in Kurram have largely been overlooked by Pakistani authorities. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tribal Districts (KPTD) experience an administrative vacuum due to the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR). These factors, along with a focus on crisis management rather than resolution, have prevented peace in the region. The situation demands tailored policy reforms to address the region’s fault lines and conflicts.
The Kurram district, strategically located on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, faces serious implications for Pakistan’s internal security and stability due to sectarian violence. The constant violence complicates counterterrorism operations and strains limited financial resources. The firefighting approach adopted by successive governments has failed, necessitating a Kurram-specific approach to mend the chronic fissures of the Parachinar crisis.
Authorities should create administrative and legal institutions to implement new laws and facilitate the adoption of the 25th Amendment. The government can carry out a phase-wise rollout of resource allocation and institution building, starting from violence-prone regions. The KP government needs to codify clauses related to the return of confiscated lands and financial penalties under the 2008 Murree Accord. Unless tribes from different sects stop engaging in wars over ancestral lands, efforts to settle terrorism or sectarianism in Parachinar will be in vain.
Lastly, the Paigham-e-Pakistan policy, endorsed by around 7,000 religious scholars from both sects, should be used to build strategies and policies to counter sectarianism. The KP government needs to build consensus among warring parties and settle political differences with the federal government. The rift hinders effective management of new districts and obstructs the smooth flow of financial resources to KPTD for building administrative and legal institutions. A holistic approach is essential to resolve the issue and prevent perennial firefighting.