Published on 2025-03-20 by Paria Anjum Rajput
Parachinar is the capital of the Kurram district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Parachinar is located in the west of Peshawar and extends into Afghanistan's Paktia, Logar, and Nangarhar provinces. Situated at a distance of 110 kilometers (68 miles) from Afghanistan's capital Kabul, Parachinar is the closest place in Pakistan to Afghanistan. However, this beautiful land has been a place of ongoing violence and human rights violations for ages.
History
Parachinar has always held regional and national importance, even before the emergence of Pakistan. It is located in the Kurram Valley, one of the oldest trade routes connecting South Asia and Central Asia. In the past, it served as a meeting point for different ethnic groups and was inhabited by the Pashtun ethnic group, particularly the Turi who are predominantly Shia. During the time of the British Empire, British colonists understood the importance of the region and made it an outpost in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). The British needed to have a military garrison in Parachinar to protect themselves during the ‘Great Game’ between the British Empire and the Russian Empire. Parachinar operated under a system in which tribal and autonomous affairs were controlled by political agents and the FCR (Frontier Crimes Regulation). This system maintained the tribal system of governance but at the same time sparked feelings of difference, leading to the evolution of separate identities. Sectarian behaviors were not unique, although Shia-Sunni populations experienced tension, which laid the foundation for future post-independence conflicts.
Conflict in Parachinar
Since the time of gaining independence, Parachinar has experienced conflicts largely due to sectarianism, geopolitics, and socio-economic marginalization. It has endured conflicts between the Shia Turi tribe and Sunni Pashtun, with neighboring countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia only contributing to the rivalry. Because Parachinar is close to the Afghan border, the mujahideen utilized the region during the Soviet-Afghan War and the subsequent War on Terror, resulting in further regional instability. We have seen a lot of sectarian violence, especially from groups such as the Taliban which has targeted civilians, destroying homes, hospitals, schools, and other essential infrastructure. The social and economic situation is also bad; roads have been blocked and civilians are denied their basic rights to education and health care.
Current Situation
In contemporary times, socio-ethnic disputes in the area stem mainly from religious concerns. If one sect attacks another, then the latter will likely defend itself from any possible attacks. In 2023, the Kurram Parachinar conflict erupted over a land issue, beginning on May 4, 2023 when a school shooting broke out at a high school in Tari Mangal. Seven people, five teachers and two laborers, were killed. According to Reuters, based on the accounts of Deputy Commissioner Saiful Islam, the attacker first shot a Sunni Muslim teacher and later killed a Shia Muslim teacher and students at the school. On July 7, 2023, the clash transitioned to a war when conflict broke out between Shia and Sunni tribes over construction on disputed land in the Boshera village. The confrontation soon extended to other areas of the district. For several days, Parachinar was besieged by missiles launched from three directions, in the course of which many children were injured. The town of Sada was also targeted by missiles from unidentified locations.
These conflicts left no less than 13 people dead and 74 people wounded. The Pakistani government attempted to regain control of the area by sending armed forces. The intervention of a local Jirga led to a one-year ceasefire, with the clash coming to an end on July 13, 2023, and the entire district returning to peace. On December 29, Dawn News reported that ongoing sit-ins in protest of the Parachinar killings led to the closure of important roads. The demonstrators demanded measures such as the reopening of a road in Parachinar, which had been closed for 90 days, and the renewed flow of food and medicines, according to traffic police and protesters. On December 30, 2024, former federal minister Sajid Hussain Turi told reporters at a press conference at least 128 children had died in Parachinar due to a lack of resources since the start of the conflict almost three months ago.
Analysis
The restrictions on rights in Parachinar are systemic, taking place in a context where sectarian conflicts and socio-economic difficulties have long affected the population. As various reports indicated, at least 128 children have been killed in the course of the conflict which started in 2023. They continue to die due to a deprivation of their right to life, which includes a right to healthcare, education, and adequate standards of living, as stipulated by Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The government has a duty to protect the rights of the most vulnerable, especially children, who have a right to life, security, and education.
Parachinar has not been able to escape the effects of long-time sectarian conflict that have been significantly worsened by external actors and regional tensions. However, despite the Pakistani government’s efforts to secure a ceasefire and conduct peacekeeping missions, the area continues to be in a state of conflict and lawlessness, with citizens having no access to justice. Parachinar’s children and people are still being subjected to severe human rights abuses. National and international authorities must work toward guaranteeing the fundamental human rights enshrined in all religions, international conventions, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) so that the people of Parachinar can lead their lives in safety and security with access to basic needs.
The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this blog are the author’s only and do not reflect an official position of the University of Minnesota, the Human Rights Program, or the College of Liberal Arts. As an institution of higher education that values and promotes free speech, civil discourse, and human rights we welcome a variety of perspectives and opinions from our student contributors that are consistent with these values.
Paria Anjum Rajput is a student at Forman Christian College (FCCU) studying Political Science with a minor in Criminology. Primarily interested in politics and criminal justice, Paria intends to explore how legal systems and governance intersect with social concerns. Wanting to make a difference, Paria is committed to the works of political and legal academics as well as substantive discussions around human rights issues. At FCCU, Paria is involved in different activities as a way toward a life of purpose and positive social change.