PESHAWAR: The elders of Mehsud tribe have decided to hold a jirga in Lahore on Oct 21 to demand return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) of North and South Waziristan agencies to the areas, which have been cleared of militants.

The decision was made in a jirga of Mehsud elders, held at Bagh-i-Naran here on Sunday to discuss future strategy for pressing the government to pay heed to the issues of IDPs.

Senator Saleh Shah from South Waziristan, Advocate Kareem Mehsud, former DIG Rehmat Khan, Abdullah Khan Mehsud, Haji Ataullah and other elders of Wazir and Dawar tribes also attended the jirga to discuss the issues of IDPs.

The displacement from South Waziristan was started in 2008 and many families were dislocated by 2009 owing to a military operation code-named ‘Rah-i-Nijat’ to rid the area and its people of the menace of militancy. The displaced tribal families still wait for an announcement by the authorities concerned that they can go back to their area, which has been cleared of militants.

About 56,228 families were displaced from South Waziristan in 2009 but so far only 7,455 families have returned to their homes and some 45,178 families are scattered in different parts of the province and the country.

The displaced tribal people claim that they are not living in any government-run camp or shelter but are left to fend for themselves.

The participants of the jirga said that they were told by the authorities after the launch of military operation that they would return to their homes after three weeks. However, many families were still waiting for a green signal from the authorities to return to their homes, they added.

Senator Saleh Shah said that Fata Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) was given about Rs2.64 billion for rehabilitation of the South Waziristan IDPs. Instead of spending the amount on the purpose, the FDMA embezzled the funds, he alleged.

The Senator said that people of tribal areas were used during war against Russia and tagged as ‘smugglers’ and ‘warriors’ but in reality tribal people wanted peace. It’s the reason they gathered to hold a jirga and demand of the government to arrange for their return to the areas, which were cleared of militants.

The jirga decided that a grand jirga comprising all major tribes of North and South Waziristan agencies would be held in Lahore on Oct 21 to put pressure on the government to arrange for their return to the areas, declared cleared by the government.

The participants of the jirga said that first they would try to hold a meeting with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mahatb Ahmed Khan to put their demand before him. They would also hold a jirga in Tank and another grand gathering in Lahore in the coming days, they said.

The participants of the jirga threatened to stage sit-ins in Islamabad and Punjab province if federal government did not pay heed to their problems and demands.

They said that government should compensate the IDPs of North and South Waziristan agencies for their losses. The laws of the land should also be extended to Fata and basic facilities of health, education and other amenities should also be made available for the people of tribal areas in their hometowns, they added.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2014