August 16, 2008	Saturday	Sha'aban 13, 1429

PESHAWAR, Aug 15: The NWFP government has sought Rs1.5 billion from the centre to cope with the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people because of fighting in the Bajaur tribal region.

According to a senior official, the demand was made at a meeting held here on Friday. It was presided over by Governor Owais Ahmad Ghani and attended by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik and Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti.

“We have asked for immediate assistance. There are hundreds of thousands of people waiting for help and we don’t have the wherewithal to cope with the situation,” the official who attended the meeting told Dawn.

However, he said the federal government had agreed to provide Rs100 million, adding that the meeting had decided to take up the demand for more resources with the centre.

“We are facing this situation because of the military action in the tribal region and it is, therefore, the responsibility of the federal government to provide financial assistance to the province,” said another official.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Mr Malik admitted that the fighting in Bajaur had displaced 219,000 people and praised the provincial government for looking after them.

Chief Minister Hoti said his government had set up eight camps for the displaced people and allocated Rs150 million for the purpose.

However, an official statement issued later said that 13 relief camps had been set up and another was being established in Peshawar.

Mr Malik said the government would not bow down to militants. “We will protect our citizens. People have risen against the militants in Dir and Buner districts.”

He announced Rs50,000 and a Kalashnikov rifle for everyone taking part in the action against militants in Buner.

Mr Malik said the military action in Bajaur was based on good intelligence. He was confident that the government would soon be in control of the situation.

He said that about 3,000 militants, mostly foreigners, were active in Bajaur and claimed that they were getting arms and financial assistance from across the border.

The adviser denied that Nato forces were taking part in the government’s operation against militants.

He said the government had made some arrests and would expose the network involved in the Lahore suicide bombing.

Governor Ghani denied that the operation had caused collateral damage. “I can assure you that the damage has been minimal.”

He said the government had given civilians two days to leave Bajaur so that security forces could target militants effectively. He said that 462 militants had been killed in the operation while 22 security personnel lost their lives.

Mr Malik said the government would set up a cantonment in Swat after restoring peace in the valley. “The army will not leave. They will stay there.”

He said that the prime minister was convening a meeting of religious leaders to find a permanent solution to the bloodshed in Kurram Agency.

Mr Hoti said the peace agreement with the Taliban was still intact, but militants who had signed it should also be asked whether they were abiding by it.