At least 50 children have lost their lives in Parachinar, Kurram district, due to a severe shortage of medicines caused by the closure of roads following armed clashes between warring tribes.
The ongoing violence, which has already claimed over 130 lives since last month, has left thousands of people stranded and exacerbated shortages of food and medical supplies in the region.
Local authorities report significant disruptions in Parachinar, where residents are facing acute shortages of essential goods as the government struggles to manage the escalating tribal conflict. The violence, rooted in longstanding land disputes, has intensified along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Faisal Edhi confirmed the alarming figure, noting that over 50 children had died in local hospitals, unable to receive necessary treatment due to the blockade.
Ali Hadi Irfani, a member of the provincial assembly for Kurram, urged the government to prioritise opening transportation routes rather than focusing on “unnecessary decisions.”
In response to the crisis, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has initiated a helicopter service to transport vital supplies and facilitate travel.
Under special instructions from Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, the service has delivered over 1,850 kilograms of medicine worth Rs12 million to Parachinar. In total, more than Rs60 million worth of supplies have been airlifted into the region through seven helicopter flights.
Additionally, the service has been used to evacuate residents, with 53 people, including 14 patients, transported from Parachinar to Peshawar in a recent flight.
Another helicopter has carried tribal elders and government officials between Parachinar and Tall, further supporting efforts to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Source: Express Tribune
