Police reported that on Thursday, several incidents of firing occurred in the Upper Kurram area of Kurram district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resulting in the death of at least seven individuals.
The first shooting incident took place near the Shalozan area, while the second occurred at Teri Mengal School, approximately six kilometers away from the site of the first incident.
In the first incident, one person was killed, while six individuals lost their lives in the shooting at the school. However, the deputy medical superintendent of Kurram district headquarters hospital stated that the collective death toll was eight, with seven “teachers” among the victims. The confirmation of teachers among the deceased has not been provided by the District Police Officer.
An official statement from the police regarding the matter is yet to be issued.
Various leaders and officials have condemned the attacks and expressed their condolences. President Arif Alvi condemned the killing of “on-duty teachers” and called for the arrest and punishment of the suspects. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari demanded a thorough investigation and punishment for those responsible, emphasizing that such incidents should not be tolerated.
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) also condemned the attacks, with co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari describing the killing of on-duty teachers as an act of terrorism. Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram Durrani of the National Assembly termed the attacks a heinous act by elements working against humanity, expressing grief over the deaths and demanding the strictest punishment for those involved.
Other individuals and organizations, including Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Sajid Hussain Turi, Anjuman-i-Hussainia, and Tehreek-i-Hussaini, also condemned the incidents.
Pakistan has experienced a rise in terrorism in recent months, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, following the end of the ceasefire between the government and the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in November. The month of January 2023 witnessed a significant increase in militant attacks across the country, resulting in numerous casualties. The military has launched a new offensive against militants to address the resurgence of attacks in the region.
