Kurram tragedy victims buried amid protests

KURRAM: Protests erupted in Parachinar on Friday after the burial of seven people, including teachers, who were killed by unidentified gunmen at a school on Thursday. The town remained closed to mourn the deaths.

Another teacher, who was killed before the mass shooting of teachers, was buried in Teri Mangal area of the district.

The protesters were also joined by teachers and hospital employees to condemn the incidents.

All markets, bazaars, schools and courts also remained closed in the district.

Female teachers in the Alizai area organised a pro­test to condemn the incident, demanding better security for teachers. They held up placards and banners, including ones that read “Protect the Teachers” and “It’s better to raise your voice than to carry the dead.”

Addressing a huge demo­nstration outside the Par­a­c­­­hinar Press Club, Turi Ban­gash tribal leader Ina­y­­at Hussain Turi along with Allama Syed Tajumal Hus­sain and other speakers de­­nounced the incident as an act of terrorism and called for action to be taken against those responsible.

Soon after the killings, Zahid Turi, the representative of the Kurram Tea­ch­ers Association, announced that all public and private schools would remain clo­sed, and the board exams for ninth and tenth grades would be postponed.

Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Sajid Hussain Turi, a lawmaker from Kurram, along with Kohat division com­missioner, Syed Muham­mad Ali Shah, and Kohat DIG, Sher Akbar Khan, ar­­rived in Parachinar to su­­pervise the investigations.

Sajid Hussain said that they would meet the tribal people and take the steps required to resolve the problem and ensure a durable peace in the district.

Our Correspondent in Bajaur adds: The teachers’ community of Bajaur district on Friday strongly condemned “brutal killings of teachers” in Kurram district and demanded proper protection for teachers across the province.

Several protest meetings and gatherings were held across the district by the teachers from both the government and private sectors to express their condemnation and anger over the Thursday’s incidents in Kurram district, leaving at least five teachers dead.

The teachers’ associations also condemned the two incidents and called for action against the perpetrators.