TANK: At least 206 IDP families left for their homes in South Waziristan as the process of their return began from the Kaur Qila transit camp in Tank district on Monday.

The IDPs’ return which began on Monday will be completed on April 4.

South Waziristan’s Political Agent Islam Zeb, senior military and civil officials and tribal elders saw off the families comprising 1300 people going to Maula Khan Srai, Deeba and Danth Kach villages of Sarwakai tehsil.

Take a look: Govt approves army’s plan for IDPs’ return

Relief goods provided by the government of Punjab and distributed among the IDPs were loaded in seven trucks.

Over 5,544 families consisting of 40,000 people registered with a facilitation centre will return to 14 villages in Sarwakai and Sararogha tehsils of South Waziristan.

These IDP families spent seven years in camps and rented houses in Tank and Dera Ismail Khan.

Talking to reporters, Political Agent Islam Zeb said that about 5,000 registered families would be returning to their homes.

Around 79,000 families of Mehsud tribe had to leave their homes after security forces launched the Rah-i-Nijat operation against the banned Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in June 2009.

The tribal agency’s official said that each family would get Rs25,000 in cash and Rs10,000 for transportation, adding that food ration of six months would also be given to each household, apart from some non-food items.

Published in Dawn March 17th , 2015

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