February 03, 2008	Sunday	Muharram 24, 1429

PESHAWAR, Feb 2: The resettlement of the displaced persons has become a serious problem for the government as security agencies are opposing their rehabilitation in camps close to the provincial capital.

An official in the home department pleading anonymity told Dawn that thousands of people had been dislocated due to the latest military operation in Darra Adamkhel and other troubled areas but their resettlement was still an unresolved issue for the government.

Some high level meetings, he confirmed, were held on the directives of the federal government to establish camps at Azakhel and Jalozai for their rehabilitation.

He said the security agencies were opposing their settlement in camps close to the provincial capital fearing that militants could mingle in the displaced persons and carry out terrorist activities in main cities.

The source said most of the officials suggested their settlement somewhere in Kohat district, but the season was very harsh there as compared to Peshawar. They feared that people especially children would not bear the biting cold in the camps, he said.

It was said that camps were being arranged for temporary settlement of some 50,000 persons at Jalozai and Azakhel, but the space would still be insufficient for the people coming form the troubled areas of Southern districts. It was said the camps were being set up by the Afghan Commissionrate with the support of United Nations.

He said over 10,000 people so far arrived in the city who were living with their relatives or friends and the agencies were trying to monitor their movement, but it was impossible to check all of them.

The official said people belonging to Makeen, Srarogha, Gomal and Ladha, coming via Razmak from the North and South Waziristan agencies, were facing great difficulties in reaching the safer places.

About the situation in Darra Adamkhel, he said it seemed to be a temporary ceasefire, but not on permanent basis, adding that no body could predict what would happen tomorrow.

The capital city police officer of Peshawar, Tanvirul Haq Sipra, when contacted by this reporter, said that a camp had et up at Jalozai, Nawshera district for the purpose.

About the ratio of people coming from the troubled areas, he said they were in thousands. He said security had been beefed up in all the sensitive areas and suspected people were checked on the entry points.

“Though, our resources are very limited but we are trying to fulfil our duties within the limited resources,” Mr Sipra said.