Pressmediaofindia
Related Articles
25-11-2024
By SJA Jafri + Agencies
PESHAWAR/ KURRAM/ KARACHI: Pakistani authorities say they have negotiated a seven-day ceasefire after more than 80 Shia Muslims were martyred in renewed sectarian violence in the north-west of the country during last 72 hours.
Another 156 are said to have been wounded in three days of fighting in the tribal district of Kurram, near the Afghan border.
The violence began on Thursday, when gunmen attacked convoys of Shia Muslims travelling through the area under police escort. More than 48 martyred in that incident, which triggered revenge attacks.
Shia and Sunni Muslims have engaged in tribal and sectarian rivalries over land disputes for decades, an official told PMI on anonymity condition.
After negotiations on Sunday, government spokesman Muhammad Ali Saif said that both Shi’ite and Sunni leaders had agreed to halt the violence, media reported.
On Sunday a local administration official told PMI; “the clashes and convoy attacks on November 21, 22, and 23 have resulted in 82 fatalities and 156 injuries.”
Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said that 16 of the dead were Sunni and 70 belonged to the Shia community.
Those killed in Thursday’s attacks on convoys included women and children. Passenger Saeeda Bano described to media how she feared she would be killed as she hid under the car seats with her children.
Hundreds of residents fled amid escalating violence Friday and on Saturday.
A resident of a Sunni village said members of his family have fled to safety while he stays behind. “We’ve been hearing gunfire all night. I sent the women and children of my family to hide in the mountains,” the man said.
“You see how cold the weather is now but I have no other option. Everyone else here is doing the same,” he added.
It comes after dozens of people died in attacks over the past few months, prompting calls for a ceasefire from a tribal council.
On Saturday provincial officials began talks with both Shia and Sunni community leaders, media reported.
A security official in the provincial capital Peshawar told media that the negotiators’ helicopter had come under fire as it arrived in the region.
Sources claimed that neither the Federal or provincial government are serious to control the deadliest sectarian violence nor any of the human rights organizations across the world is authorized even to speak or comment over Shia Target Killing while the media is not allowed to report in-favor or against the issue hence, the UK, USA especially Australia and dozens of American, European, African or Arab countries are nothing to do with Shia Target Killing in Pakistan even these countries are neither totally unaware about this one of world’s most sensitive issues nor ready to even accept the events which have already been done during last over 30 years, sources added.
