The death toll of Shia Muslims has risen to 44 in the regional conflict with allegations of being a Taliban attack.
Pakistan’s Parachinar has turned into a war zone after aclash over land dispute erupted between the families of Sunni and Shia community of the region. According to recent reports, at least 44 people from the Shia community have been killed while more than 200 have been injured in the “massacre”. What is believed to have ignited from a Sunni-Shia clash over land is being called a “genocide” against Shia Muslims.
Aga Syed Hassan, a Kashmiri Shia leader said on Monday, 29 July 2024 “the Shia community in Parachinar, Pakistan, has been subjected to genocide, leaving numerous fatalities and widespread fear.”
Parachinar: A vulnerable geography
Parachinar is in the Kurram Agency district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan, close to the borders of Afghanistan. The place is known to have endured sectarian conflicts for decades that often lead to political unrest in the region. Clashes between the two Muslim communities are infamous for turning into sectarian violence.
The current attacks in Parachinar had been going on for around a week until a ceasefire could be brought to consideration by the tribal elders. Usage of heavy weaponry including missiles has been reported. These attacks against Shia Muslims are also being blamed at Taliban and “extremist groups”.
The Conflict and Protests
Nasser Kanaani, spokesperson of the Iranian Foreign Ministry denounced the “armed attack” on the Shia Muslims of Parachinar and said, “the criminal move saddened the hearts of all Muslims”. Kanaani also emphasized upon the “collaboration among the regional countries for the continued battle against the perpetrators, organizers, supporters and sponsors of the terrorist moves” to “effectively fight the Takfiri groups.”
The Conflict and Protests.
According to the media, the clash began over a “common property shared by various tribes” where some were “claiming exclusive ownership”. As different sects were involved, their personal disputes turned into a greater outrage with the involvement of people from the same sects. However, there are also claims that “the Talian fighters are involved in the conflict” which turns the otherwise regional riot into a broader political unrest.
Internet services had beensuspended in the region and some pathways had been blocked. The local hospitals are running out of medicine and the supply of many other necessities has been affected due to the blockade.
Various protests are being witnessed in many cities for the justice of people that were killed in Parachinar. People are out with banners that say, “Stop Shia Genocide”. Social media is taken by posts that address the “brutal” killing of Shia Muslims and ask for justice.
There is, however, no concrete statistics for Sunnis who would been killed or affected in this conflict. Their casualties have been not highlighted.
