PESHAWAR: The personnel of Khasadar force on Friday tear-gassed and baton-charged Khyber Agency’s displaced persons during a protest in the capital city against denial of registration and ration.

The paramilitary soldiers, who manned the ration distribution point, took the action after displaced persons blocked the GT Road in Haji Camp area for around two hours suspending traffic on both sides of the major artery.

Though none of them suffered injuries in it, protesters were quick to leave the place.

Some of them later broke the boundary wall of the ration distribution point.

The protesters later dispersed after the relevant officials assured them of early resolution of demands.

Sources said the political administration had suspended the personnel of Khasadar force, who had resorted to baton-charge, teargas shelling and firing in the air against peaceful protesters.

They also claimed the people of Khyber and other tribal agencies would be given food and other items on separate days to avoid stampede.

The sources said IDPs of Khyber Agency were asked to show up for ration on Saturdays and Sundays.

It was the second incident of its kind.

Some weeks ago, the police had baton-charged IDPs of North Waziristan during a protest in Bannu. The action injured at least 14 protesters.

Earlier, protesters shouting slogans against the federal government insisted 75 percent of the displaced people from Khyber Agency were denied the status of IDPs along with ration and other goods.

They said they had long been demanding their registration with the government and had even staged demonstrations and sit-ins but the federal government was indifferent.

Most protesters said they were not given ration forcing them to block GT Road.

Some complained about the poor quality of food and said their repeated complaints to the relevant officials about it had fallen on deaf ears.

The protesters said they’d fled homes and had no money to buy food and other items for families, so the government should formally register them as IDPs for grant of such articles.

“We have vacated our homes for the sake of the country but the government is not ready to accept our sacrifices,” a protester said.

He also complained the government had yet to compensate the families, whose members were killed or injured by stray bullets.

PTI Fata leader Haji Iqbal Afridi said three months ago, the people had been given tokens with the promise that they would be given all items meant for IDPs but the government had yet to fulfil the commitment.

He alleged those paying Rs500 to the Khasadar force personnel were given ration.

The PTI leader many of the federal government’s representatives including minister Abdul Qadir Baloch, MNA Marvi Memon and even Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan, had promised early resolution of the problems of IDPs but the promise had yet to be fulfilled.

Meanwhile, Sardar Hussain Babak of Awami National Party has condemned the action against IDPs and declared it a violation of their basic rights.

He said the people had left their homes for the country but unfortunately, the law-enforcement agencies was using violence against them.

He asked the government to resolve the problems of displaced persons without delay.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2014