ISLAMABAD: A day after visiting the camps of North Waziristan’s internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Bannu, the leader of opposition in the National Assembly, Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah, talked to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on telephone on Saturday, asking him to improve facilities at the camps and suggesting an upgrade in security measures for the area.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Shah said he had not discussed any political issue and that he met the prime minister only to apprise him about difficulties and problems being faced by the IDPs.

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Mr Shah, who was accompanied by former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and other PPP leaders during the Bannu visit, said the local administration was worried about the rising number of IDPs and wanted more police from Punjab, Sindh and Islamabad to strengthen security measures.

He was told that Bannu had a population of one million, but now it was hosting some 900,000 IDPs without a proportionate strengthening of the police force.

The opposition leader said that he had conveyed the concerns of the officials to the prime minister. “I have asked him to send police reserves ... and also provide them vehicles.”

He said IDPs were facing hardships due to frequent power outages in humid weather and called upon the government to reduce the hours of loadshedding.“I have asked the prime minister to ensure at least 18 hours of power supply in Bannu,” Mr Shah said.

Replying a question, he said the prime minister had assured him of looking into his demands and that steps would be taken to provide better facilities to the IDPs.

Most of the IDPs wanted to return to their homes after the government’s claim that 80 per cent area in North Waziristan had been cleared, he said. But they had been asked to wait till the completion of the Operation Zarb-i-Azb and also because it would take time to make arrangements for their rehabilitation. After visiting the Bannu camps on Friday, other PPP leaders had called for sending Frontier Constabulary troops to the area to enhance security.

Talking to reporters after the visit, Khurshid Shah had said he would take up the matter with the premier and that the PPP would provide assistance to the displaced.

Published in Dawn, July 20th , 2014