August 20, 2008	Wednesday	Sha’aban 17, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Aug 19: The number of displaced people of Bajaur Agency has gone up to over 250,000 and the government has sought help from non-governmental organisations in relief and rehabilitation work.

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Interior Affairs Rehman Malik told representatives of 39 international and local NGOs here on Tuesday that the government was providing shelter, food and medicines to the displaced people but its resources were not adequate to alleviate their suffering.

“I appeal to the NGOs to help the government in its efforts to provide relief and rehabilitate the displaced people in Bajaur Agency,” he said.

He said that about 50,000 families comprising 250,000 to 300,000 people had been forced to leave their homes because of the unrest in the agency and they needed immediate relief.

The meeting was informed that the National Disaster Management Authority was providing relief to the people in coordination with the relief commissioner of the NWFP.

A committee headed by provincial Senior Ministers Rahim Dad Khan and Bashir Ahmed Bilour and comprising MNAs, MPAs, nazims and DCOs, the additional chief secretary of Fata and the provincial relief commissioner will monitor distribution of relief goods.

Earlier, Nowshera District Nazim Dawood Khattak briefed the adviser on a relief camp set up in his area.

Meanwhile, some people of Bajaur Agency told Dawn that the situation in their area was still unstable, compelling local people to leave their homes.

They said that elements fighting the security forces had no support of the local people and they lived in caves in a mountain range. They said the security forces had started aerial attacks on Taliban because of the topography of the region.