PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan on Thursday said the repatriation of internally displaced persons of North Waziristan Agency was likely to begin in March this year.

“I hope that the government will start repatriation of IDPs to North Waziristan Agency in March. However, it depends on the cooperation of local elders in restoring peace,” he told reporters after attending an MoU signing ceremony at the Governor’s House here.

Also read: Plan afoot to provide jobs to IDPs in their own areas

The governor said the government would ensure sustainable peace in North Waziristan, while elders would have to fulfil their collective responsibilities.

Around 100,000 families had been displaced from North Waziristan since security forces launched operation Zarb-i-Azb in June 2014.

Governor says govt to restore peace, elders to fulfil responsibilities

The Fata Disaster Management Authority signed MoUs with two cellular companies.

Under the MoUs, these companies will disburse financial assistance to displaced families of Bara tehsil in Khyber Agency after they return home.

The FDMA requires Rs20.8 billion from the federal government for payment to Bara IDPs.

It will pay Rs25,000 and Rs10,000 transportation cost to each household through cellular companies.

The family’s head will withdraw money through SIM or ATM anywhere in the country.

FDMA director general Ikramullah Khan and representatives of Mobilink and Telenor signed MoUs.

Besides the governor, Fata additional chief secretary Mohammad Azam Khan, senior officials and elders from Bara were also in attendance.

The government has announced the start of the repatriation of around 80,000 displaced families to the plains of Bara tehsil probably in mid-February.

The final date has not been announced. Successful return of 80,000 displaced families to Bara will bring down the caseload of displaced families of Fata from 301,078 to 221,078 families.

Governor Sardar Mahtab told reporters that the government would compensate militancy-affected families of Bara for their damaged houses and business properties.

He said Rs400,000 would be paid for completely damaged house and Rs160,000 for partial damages of house.

The governor said damages needed assessment survey in affected areas would start after the return of IDPs to their homes.

Officials said over 20,000 houses had been damaged completely or partially in the conflict-hit areas of Fata.

The FDMA has completed damages need assessment report of government infrastructure in the area which required Rs834.930 million.

The governor said the Khyber-1 military operation was successful and militants had been expelled from plains of Bara.

“I have been told that the Maidan (Bara) has been cleared of militants. Some have been killed, while others have fled. It is a successful operation,” said the governor, who visited Bara two days ago.

He said the signing of MoUs with cellular companies would ensure transparency in disbursement of cash to affected families.

The Khyber-1 military operation was launched in October 2014 forcing over 40,000 families to flee to Peshawar.

The governor also claimed that once displaced families returned to Bara, he would revive Bara Bazaar, which was once visited by people from other parts of the country to buy smuggled goods at cheap rates.

“I will rebuild Bara Bazaar as the business centre and revive it as a bustling market of the country,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2015

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