A devastating ambush on a convoy traveling from Parachinar to Peshawar claimed the lives of at least 49 people, including seven women and a nine-year-old girl, and left 28 others injured.
Officials fear the death toll could rise as the injured receive treatment, Dawn News reported.
The attack occurred on Thursday in Mandori Charkhel, a region plagued by sectarian tensions and land disputes.
Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsood reported that the convoy of approximately 200 vehicles came under heavy gunfire, with attackers targeting from both sides of the road.
Survivor Ajmeer Hussain recounted the horror, describing a sudden burst of gunfire that killed passengers beside him instantly. “I thought these were my last moments,” he said, recovering in a local hospital. The shooting lasted about five minutes.
Local sources linked the attack to an earlier October assault that killed 15 people, suggesting it was an act of retaliation.
Speculation also surrounds the involvement of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), although officials attributed the violence to ongoing land disputes rather than sectarian motives.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, labeling it a “sheer act of brutality.” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur ordered immediate measures, including the reactivation of tribal jirgas and the establishment of a provincial highway police force to secure transportation routes.
The Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) announced nationwide protests, criticizing the government’s failure to protect citizens. MWM leaders denounced the “criminal silence” of officials, holding law enforcement agencies accountable for the bloodshed.
Kurram, bordering Afghanistan, has long been a flashpoint for violence fueled by sectarian and land disputes.
Efforts to resolve the issues, including a land commission report, remain unaddressed, further aggravating tensions in the region.
As the region grapples with the aftermath, political and religious leaders are urging immediate action to prevent further bloodshed and restore peace.