PESHAWAR: A report on the problems of North Waziristan Agency displaced persons has stated the current political turmoil in the country has overshadowed the mass displacement issue.

It also highlighted the vulnerability of displaced women.

The 22-page report was launched by Zalan Communications, a nongovernmental organisation, here during a function, where

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MNA Marvi Memon, representatives of IDPs and civil society groups were in attendance.

Report says displaced women vulnerable, upset about children, healthcare

Speakers urged the government to give national and international nongovernmental organisations the access to IDPs for relief operations and set up separate ration distribution points for displaced women.

According to the report, IDPs in general and vulnerable groups, including displaced women, in particular have been facing host of problems.

“One of the major issues of displaced women is that they are finding it very difficult to live with host families while leaving behind their belongings and friendly environment in hometowns. They are worried about their children’s education, healthcare and privacy,” it said.

The report said a large number of IDPs either didn’t have important documents like computerised national identity cards or had left them behind while fleeing homes ahead of the launch of a military operation against militants.

It said in the absence of CNICs, most couples didn’t get separate family status and that they didn’t get compensation from the government. The report said some IDPs were not satisfied with cash offered to them for renting houses.

“The IDPs complain they get Rs3,000 each for house rent but have to pay four to five times more than that.”

The report said over one million people had been displaced after launching operation Zarb-i-Azb and had been moved to safer places in 17 districts across the country.

According to it, Bannu district, which is adjacent to North Waziristan, has major concentration of IDPs, where 827,381 people have taken shelter. Likewise, in Dera Ismail Khan, 71,650 people have taken shelter, while 5,500 IDPs have shifted to Karachi.

“To avoid humiliation and wrath of hot weather, some 75,000 people have preferred to go to Afghanistan. Their pressing issues are related to cash packages, registration, health, corruption, water and sanitation, dual addresses, food and women headed households,” it said.

The report said in the wake of current political turmoil in the country, the mass displacement issue had gone into the background.

According to it, the political leadership is busy with the political stage of Islamabad, so the media is little focused on the huge humanitarian tragedy.

Speaking at the launching ceremony President IDPs Qaumi Committee Nisar Ali Wazir demanded of the government to allow local and foreign NGOs to carry out relief activities in IDPs hosted districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He suggested Fata Disaster Management Authority set up separate food ration distribution points, because females could not visit the existing distribution centers established for males due to cultural barriers.

He said the health department besides polio should also vaccinate children for other diseases. He also demanded of the government to announce time frame for the completion of military operation and return of the IDPs to their homes.

MNA Marvi Memon said the federal and provincial governments should own IDPs and that their issues should not be politicised.

She said the country was facing the issues of IDPs and floods at the same time and that national unity was a must to attend to the issues.

The MNA said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa received one per cent share from the federal divisible pool on account of war on terrorism and therefore, it was primarily the provincial government’s responsibility to look after IDPs sheltering in its areas.

She said the federal government and Punjab government had shared the displacement burden and paid cash and food to IDPs.

Marvi said the crime rate had increased in Bannu district after arrival of IDPs in large numbers and that the local administration had requested the provincial police chief to deploy additional 500 policemen in the district.

She, however, said the provincial government had ignored the request.

Representative of IDPs from Khyber Agency Iqbal Afridi said the government should treat all IDPs from Fata equally and that like displaced persons from North Waziristan, those displaced from other tribal agencies should also be given cash assistance.Earlier, president of the Fata Research Centre Dr Ashraf Ali underlined the need to strengthen the state-citizen relationship declaring it panacea for all problems of the country.

He said it was the right time for the government to act positively and quickly to end the prolonged sense of frustration and deprivation among the people of the troubled region.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2014