KURRAM: More bunkers were demolished in the Khar Kili and Balish Khel areas here on Wednesday during an operation launched following an agreement between the warring tribes to restore lasting peace to the region.

According to Assistant Commissioner Upper Kurram Afrasiab Zubair Hindal, the demolition of bunkers in the areas of Balish Khel and Khar Kili continued without any hindrance.

He said all bunkers would be removedfrom the area.

Police, district administration officials, security forces, tribal elders and members of the grand jirga were present on the occasion.

While talking to Dawn, MNA and parliamentary leader of MWM in National Assembly, Engineer Hamid Hussain, said that for the past three and a half months, the people remained trapped in the area due to closure of roads. After a long wait, only 23 trucks of supplies had reached the area.

He urged the government to ensure the provision of food, medicine, gas andoil according to the needs of the population. He said if the government did not listen to their demands, people would die from hunger and lack of medical care.

A Parachinar resident Tanveer Hussain told Dawn that the goods that arrived in the district were being sold to the public at exorbitant prices, with tomatoes being sold at Rs700 to Rs800 per kg and peas for Rs1,000 per kg.

Akbar Khan, who runs a vegetable and fruit business, explained that trucks loaded with goods had to wait for several days before proceeding to the district, which caused traders to pay five timeshigher rent.

Meanwhile, armed men fired at a PTCL vehicle in Bagan area of Lower Kurram. The PTCL technician managed to escape while the vehicle was damaged.

According to the police, the PTCL technician carrying exchange material from Thall to Kurram district was traveling under security cover.

When the vehicle reached the Bagan market in lower Kurram, three armed men opened fire on the vehicle. Several bullets hit the vehicle, but the driver managed to escape unhurt.