Parachinar shuts down to mourn blast victims

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Markets, business outlets were closed and roads remained deserted in Parachinar city on Monday to mourn the deaths of 25 blast victims.

On Sunday, a bomb hidden in a bag ripped through the crowded Eidgah market for used-clothes in Parachinar city, the capital of Kurram tribal district, which borders Afghanistan, killing at least 25 people and wounding more than 30.

The banned Sunni terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi had claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Kurram is one of Pakistan’s seven semi-autonomous tribal districts, which are governed according to local laws and customs.

They are on the frontline of Pakistan’s battle against the Tehreek-e-Taliban insurgency that began in 2004 after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan forced Taliban and al Qaeda militants to flee across the border.

The insurgency has claimed the lives of around 25,000 civilians and security forces’ personnel, according to the South Asia Terror Portal.

However, overall the level of violence has decreased this year following a nationwide military-led offensive against militants.