LAKKI MARWAT: A tribal jirga of North Waziristan Agency has asked the government to accelerate the return of displaced tribesmen to their homes and rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure, houses and business centres in the region.

The jirga met at the Children’s Park outside the Town Hall building in Lakki city on Thursday.

Elders from different tribes attended the meeting to discuss the IDPs’ problems and ways to get them resolved by the government.

Elder Malik Salam Rehman said unfortunately, the repatriation of IDPs to North Waziristan was moving at a snail’s pace.

He said the authorities should accelerate the process to ensure early yet dignified return of displaced persons to their homes.

The elder said the speedy repatriation of tribesmen would help bring normalcy to the region after elimination of militants by the army.

He also demanded transparent distribution of ration and cash among the displaced and militancy-affected tribesmen.

Tribal chief Malik Meenazar regretted the humanitarian organisations had ignored the welfare of the displaced people staying in Lakki Marwat.

“After the successful Zarb-i-Azb operation against militants, the political administration should ensure the immediate rehabilitation of tribal people in their respective localities and reconstruction of health, education and other facilities,” he said. The tribal chief asked the government to continue providing ration and financial assistance to the tribesmen for the next three years after their repatriation.

“The tribesmen don’t want parks and playgrounds. Instead, the authorities should rebuild their destroyed houses and shops, and destroyed health and educational institutions,” he said.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2016