Growing Takfiri Terrorists Around Parachinar Targeting Shia Muslims: Cleric

IQNA – The growth of Takfiri terrorist groups in border regions between Pakistan and Afghanistan has led to the persecution of Shia Muslim community in Parachinar, a cleric says.

An interview with Hojjat-ol-Islam Ali Taghavi, an international cleric and regional director of Al-Mustafa International University in Tanzania, Burundi, and Malawi, sheds light on the ongoing violence against Shia communities in Parachinar, Pakistan.

Taghavi elaborated on the historical, political, and social roots of the unrest that has plagued the region.

“The growth of Daesh has primarily occurred in Afghanistan's eastern provinces and Pakistan's tribal regions, with Parachinar situated at the heart of this area. Consequently, the surrounding environment is home to active radical Daesh groups,” he told IQNA. “These groups, both directly and indirectly, play a role in conflicts targeting the Shia population, as their core mission is fundamentally rooted in the persecution and killing of Shias.”

Taghavi attributed the current situation to policies introduced during the 1980s, when Pakistan’s military government supported the Afghan jihad against the Soviet Union. “The spread of Takfiri ideology began during this period, leading to internal conflicts between the Shia tribes of Parachinar and extremist groups,” he explained.

Parachinar, a Shia-majority region bordering Afghanistan, is encircled by Sunni and Wahhabi communities, making it particularly vulnerable to violence, he noted.

The cleric highlighted how geopolitical factors exacerbate local tensions. “The global hegemonic powers, alarmed by the influence of Iran's Islamic Revolution on Pakistan's Shias, have supported Takfiri movements to suppress Shia unity,” Taghavi said.

Taghavi also referenced the activities of other militant groups like Sipah-e-Sahaba and the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), which he described as instrumental in the targeted violence.

Taghavi criticized Pakistan’s governance, stating that “while the military is strong, the state is weak,” especially in peripheral regions like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where Parachinar is located.

He argued that inadequate governance and ongoing clashes between the government and separatist factions leave Shias exposed to both state and non-state actors.

Addressing the media’s role, Taghavi called for greater global attention to the plight of Parachinar's Shias. This violence amounts to what many would term a “genocide,” as it includes the destruction of Shia lands, mosques, and cultural symbols, he said.

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