Thall-Parachinar Road to be made safe for passengers: Rehman assures National Assembly

Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Monday assured National Assembly that security forces would be deployed within 48 hours for making Thall-Parachinar road safe for passengers, as lawmaker belonging to Kurram Agency staged walk out from the House against the continued closure of the road and announced to go on hunger strike until the government moves forces to the region.
Sajjid Hussain Turi, parliamentarian from Kurram Agency, before leaving the House in protest, declined to listen to the Interior Minister, when he was asked by Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi to stay in the House till the Interior Minister gives a statement on the matter.
Turi, who is also chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions, said that he has been repeatedly betrayed by the government, adding that four years have been passed that the only road that link Kurram Agency with rest of the country has been blocked by handful militants.
"I just met President Zardari and briefed him on the problems being faced by the local people for the last four years due to the road blockade," said the MNA, adding that he was fed up of government's false assurances and staged walk out from the House with announcement to sit at the hunger strike camp organised by members of his constituency in front of National Press Club till the government decides to move forces against the militants.
While responding, Interior Malik said that security forces would be deployed on the particular road to provide security to the travellers, adding that they (forces) would be asked to escort the passengers. He said that the road was opened on assurance given by the local tribes from both the rivals groups that they would protect the route, but unfortunately some subversive incidents took place by those elements that don't want peace and caused its closure again.
Meanwhile, addressing sit-in protest of the residents belonging to Kurram Agency in front of the Parliament House, Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmaker Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi and Senator Abbas Komaili asked the government to immediately re-open the Thall-Parachinar road and recover the abducted 40 tribesmen who have been kidnapped by militants about a month ago.
Rizvi, flanked by MQM's parliamentarians Iqbal Muhammad Ali and Asif Hussnain and Abbas Komaili, expressed solidarity with the people of Parachinar and asked President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Interior Minister Rehman Malik to take serious notice of the worst situation in Kurram Agency.
He criticised the government for neglecting the issue of Kurram Agency, saying that every one was well aware of the issue that people from the Agency were facing the siege in the hands of the militants for the last four years and thousands have lost their lives in the clashes.
He said that only route of the area to connect the region to the other parts of the country was shut and those willing to travel through the Thall-Parachinar road were being attacked and brutally killed. The protesters, mostly students belonging to various universities of the twin cities Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Peshawar had gathered in front of the Parliament House in D-Chowk against the closure of the particular road and abduction of the local tribesmen by the militants. They were chanting slogans against the government and demanding safe recovery of the abducted locals.