Army chief arrives in Parachinar to meet affectees of twin blasts

PARACHINAR: Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa arrived on Friday morning in Pakistan’s northwest town of Parachinar to meet the victims of twin blasts that left around 70 dead and dozens others injured, ARY News reported.

According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, the army chief will meet the victims of the terrorist attack and political figures and notables of the tribal area.

Gen Bajwa will also be briefed on overall security situation of the Kurram Agency and measures taken in the wake of the major terrorist attacks that hit the tribal region’s main town on June 23.

A day earlier, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had announced a compensation of Rs one million each for the families of the people died in the bombing attack. However, the enraged families rejected it in protest against state’s inability to ensure the safety of the locals in the wake of repeated terrorist attacks-third this year. They said the compensation announced by the PM did not account for their loss.

Earlier in January, this year, 25 people were killed and 87 others suffered injuries when a bomb went off during peak business hours at a crowded vegetable market in the city in the tribal region. In another bomb attack on March 31 this year, 23 people were killed in car bomb blast near an Imam­bargah at midday. More than 70 others were wounded in the attack.

The people of the terrorism-hit city have been protesting against surge in terrorist activities in the area calling for tightening security to ensure their security.