PARICHANAR: A BBC report has reported a marked drop in the amount of sectarian violence in Pakistan’s tribal region of the Kurram agency. However the report goes on to say that area locals are currently more worried about the continued activities of banned organisations in their midst.
The region has long been known for sectarian violence however there has been a definite fall in the amount of such events in recent years. The last time any notable sectarian scuffle broke out was back in 2007-8, which lasted for four years. However there has been relative peace in the area since 2012.
While the fall in sectarian incidents has been a cause of relief for locals, it has come with a simultaneous increase in terrorist and militant activities. The number of bombings and target killings have been on a steep rise and have resulted in an atmosphere of fear developing in the region. The main target for these militant organisations has been the Kurram agency capital, Parachinar, which is mainly inhabited by the Turi and Bangash tribes.
As recently as January, a bombing in Parachinar claimed by another banned outfit took the lives of 24 people in the vicinity. This series of events has been going on from time to time in the region and the threats made by terrorist organisations are now a constant cause of fear for the people of Kurram agency. Just recently notorious terror outfit Islamic state, also known as Daish, were able to circulate propaganda pamphlets in Parichanar causing mass hysteria and fright in residents.
Experts have said that the fall in sectarian violence is due to the depleting resources of those propagating sectarianism and that this menace will soon be permanently eradicated. However there is the rising threat of banned outfits who are sending out threats and carrying out attacks on a near daily basis.
The prevailing conditions and atmosphere of fear has however been quelled to some extent by an increased presence of security forces. The security has become more stringent, especially in sensitive area, to the extent that security check-posts have been installed after nearly every furlong in some areas more susceptible to terrorist activities.