KURRAM: People offered Friday prayers on the streets in Parachinar amid sit-ins continuing at five different locations against the closure of roads in Kurram district.

Delivering a Friday sermon to the main sit-in outside the Parachinar Press Club, Khateeb of Jamia Masjid Allama Noor Hussain said that it was for the first time in the history of Kurram that the people offered Friday prayers on the streets instead of mosques.

He said that closure of roads for two and a half months had created the worst shortage of essential food and non-food items and medicines in the district. He said children were dying due to lack of treatment facilities in hospitals.

Mr Hussain said that the responsibility of reopening roads in the district rested with the government, which had so far failed to provide them with necessary facilities. He said that due to the closure of roads, the people were facing a critical and distressing situation.

Parachinar tehsil chairman Agha Muzammil Hussain and other speakers said on the occasion that it was the responsibility of the government to open the roads, including the Afghan border pass and the main highway.

On the other hand, the district administration said that a peace jirga was underway in Kohat, which is expected to arrive at a decision soon.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2024