Medicine Shortage Intensifies Amidst Bunker Demolitions and Road Protests in Kurram District

Medical stores in Kurram District, Pakistan, closed in protest over halted medicine supplies amidst ongoing efforts to maintain peace. Demolitions of bunkers, road closures, and halted essential goods convoys exacerbate public distress, as students and traders join demonstrations demanding normalized transportation and equal resource access.

Kurram District in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is facing escalating tensions as medical store owners shut their shops to protest against the non-supply of medicines. According to Dawn, two more bunkers were demolished in the restive region on Tuesday, bringing the total to 28. District administration officials claim these demolitions are a step towards enforcing a 14-point peace agreement to ease tensions and provide relief to residents.

Meanwhile, members of drug associations in Parachinar and other towns expressed concern over patient care due to halted medicine supplies, as cited by Dawn. The store closures add to the suffering of a population already grappling with food shortages. Association leaders like Syed Mohammad Hasnain and Rashid Ali stressed during a press conference in Parachinar that the unavailability of medicine threatens patient care seriously.

Protesters assert that despite essential food items like sugar and vegetables being transported, vehicles carrying medicines remain excluded from the convoy, prompting the suspension of store operations. The shutdown continues as students demand road re-openings to pursue academic opportunities, underscoring their frustration over losing an academic year.

Previously, on February 3, ongoing efforts to implement the peace deal saw four bunkers demolished. In Lower Kurram, traders protested against a convoy of over 40 food trucks from Thall, blocked from moving to Parachinar. Trader leader Haji Rauf criticized the blockade, urging for road openings and fairness in convoy shortages. Such constraints hinder residents' access to vital resources, exacerbating local grievances.

Rauf accused influential individuals of exploiting convoy priorities, as trucks sometimes disappear upon arrival in Kurram. The weekly transportation of essential goods in around 40 to 50 vehicles fails to meet local needs, highlighting the urgency for unrestricted route access. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)