PARACHINAR: Protests took place in the Parachinar area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district on Friday, as the town mourned the deaths of eight people, including five teachers, who were killed in separate attacks yesterday.

On Thursday, unidentified gunmen killed one person in the town’s Shalozan area, after which seven people were gunned down at a school in the Teri Mangal area. Authorities have characterised the violence as the result of a “land dispute”.

Soon after the killings, Kurram Teachers Association representative Zahid Turi announced that all private and public schools would remain closed and the board exams for ninth and tenth grades had been postponed.

On Friday, Parachinar painted a desolate picture, as roads remained barren and markets remained shut. There were sporadic protests, which were carried out by mourners.

A separate protest of women took place in the Alizai area of Parachinar. They held placards and banners, which said “Protect the teachers” and “It’s better to raise your voice than to carry the dead”.

Kurram Bar Council President Mehmood Ali Turi called for the courts to be closed as well out of protest, he said in a statement to Dawn.com.

Hospitals remained in a state of emergency and all the roads were shut down,.

Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Sajid Hussain Turi, who is a lawmaker from Kurram, along with the commissioner and deputy inspector general of police Kohat reached Parachinar.

“We will meet the tribal people and take the steps required to solve the problem,” stated Sajid in a statement to Dawn.com.

A representative of the Turi Bangash tribe,said that the burial of the seven deceased who belonged to the tribe had taken place. And soon after the prayers, a large procession of mourners had begun to make their way to the Parachinar Press Club.

Yesterday, state broadcaster Pakistan Television Corporation reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the incidents and had sought a detailed report from relevant authorities on the attacks.

Separately, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had said in a tweet that he, too, had sought a report from the interior secretary and assured that the perpetrators would be punished.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the office of KP caretaker Chief Minister Mohammad Azam Khan had attributed the killings to a property dispute.

The statement said the CM had taken notice of the matter and sought a report on the incidents from the police and the relevant administration.

It carried his instructions to take immediate measures for the arrest of those involved in the incidents.

“Nobody will be allowed to take the law into their hands. Those sabotaging peace in the area will be dealt with iron hands,” the CM said, vowing that the perpetrators of today’s incidents would be taken to task.

The statement said he issued directives for taking all the needed measures for ensuring peace in the area and the provision of timely treatment for the injured.