Islamabad, February 17: Parachinar is the main town in Kurram tribal region, which is considered a main base for the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Scores of high-profile militants are believed to be taking refuge there in recent years after fleeing military offensives in the nearby tribal regions.
Pakistan’s pro-Taliban militants have launched a violent campaign against Shia Muslims over the past years.
Shia Muslims living in Kurram have been facing a humanitarian crisis since November 2007, when pro-Taliban groups cut off the area from the rest of the country.
According to local sources, hundreds of Shia Muslims have been killed in the region since the start of the campaign by militants affiliated to Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorist groups.
Several Shia religious gatherings have been targeted in different parts of the country over the past few months.
—-Agencies