Haideor, Zafir and Kazim

Trapped in an enclave under Taliban threat

Haideor, Zafir and Kazim recount their life under threat in the enclave of Parachinar, where only one road leads to the rest of Pakistan. Beyond the deadly sectarian violence in the region, the isolation prevents freedom of movement and access to basic goods and services. They were rescued on the 5th of May 2025 with several other Pakistani citizens. In 2023, 41 people from Pakistan were rescued by SOS MEDITERRANEE, just two percent of those rescued (2,299 people in total). In 2024, that number increased to 174 people out of 1,948 (seven percent). Between January and September 2025¹, 159 people from Pakistan were rescued, 12 percent of the 1,325 people saved by the Ocean Viking. This rapid increase in Pakistani survivors illustrates a surge in the number of people trying to find safety outside of their country.

The three men, all between the ages of 24 and 28, come from Parachinar, the capital of Pakistan’s Kurram region. The region is an enclave within Afghan territory, home to several tribal communities, including Shia Muslim, a minority in the mainly Sunni country, and neighbouring Afghanistan. The area has been taken over by Taliban who occupy the land with a reign of terror, forcing many locals to flee in fear. Driven by ideological differences, the Taliban have imposed an economic blockade on Shia-dominated areas and frequently Target Shia people in deadly attacks. There is only one road connecting Parachinar to the rest of Pakistan and, following several deadly attacks on humanitarian convoys, the government has blocked the road. This has led to the complete suspension of movement to and from Kurram and shortages of critical supplies.

As Zafir said, “No food, no medicine, nothing is coming to our area. Now Parachinar is like a jail.”

“We are from Parachinar and we are Shia Muslims.  We are close to Afghanistan and there many Taliban in the border area. They kill us. Our city was under siege for eight to nine months, the road was closed, and it is the only road we can use to connect with the rest of the country. Now, if I want to go to my area, it is not possible. If someone sees me on the road, maybe he will kill me. You can’t go in, you can’t go out,” said Kazim.

1. Following an attack by the Libyan Coast Guard, the Ocean Viking has not been operational since 24 August 2025.

“We are from Parachinar and we are Shia Muslims.  We are close to Afghanistan and there many Taliban in the border area. They kill us. Our city was under siege for eight to nine months, the road was closed, and it is the only road we can use to connect with the rest of the country. Now, if I want to go to my area, it is not possible. If someone sees me on the road, maybe he will kill me. You can’t go in, you can’t go out,” said Kazim.

When this road is open, I can go anywhere in Pakistan, but when this road is closed, I cannot go outside of Parachinar. And now this road is blocked, so, I cannot go to my home.  Even the ambulance cannot come. The insurgents would kill the ambulance driver,” added Zafir.

“In 1999, due to the tough conditions in Parachinar, especially the sectarian conflict, life became unbearable. I had to leave school. At that time, the Taliban were very strong, and they had full control over the area.  My brothers and other male relatives stayed in Parachinar while the women and children lived in Quetta, a city outside of the region. During this time, we lived in great fear and insecurity. We heard about attacks and killings every day. Due to the constant stress and trauma, I suffer from depression. I’ve had multiple medical treatments and still continue to receive therapy,” Haideor told us.

Haideor was hoping to go back to his hometown, but when his uncle and cousin were killed, he understood he couldn’t return. 

“My area is very beautiful; there are rivers, mountains, glaciers. Everything is very green. I like everything about my home. I have a lot of friends, my mom, my sister. I love it and I miss it.  There is everything, but there is no fuel, no cooking oil, no sugar. There is a hospital and there are doctors, but inside the hospital there is no medicine,” Haideor recounted.

*Names have been changed to protect rescued peoples’ privacy.