ISLAMABAD, May 8 The influx of displaced people from Fata, Buner, Dir, Swat and other troubled areas of NWFP is feared to add burden to the already overcrowded cities of Punjab.
The twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have already been hosting internally-displaced persons (IDPs) from Bajaur, Waziristan and Mohmand Agencies for the last one year, the fresh arrival from Buner, Dir, Swat and other areas of Malakand would definitely overburden the cities.
Ariane Rummery, United Nations Higher Commission for Refugee (UNHCR) senior spokesperson told Dawn that the commission had registered some 50,000 IDP families in suburbs of Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Attock and other areas in Punjab, and that 40,000 families were yet to be registered.
She said that the registration process had been initiated on the request of the government and would be completed in two months.
Rummery said besides registering IDPs in Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Sialkot, Attock and Lahore and some other urban places of Punjab, the UN Agency will start registration of internally-displaced persons in Karachi too.
According to the agency's spokesperson, the UNHCR has engaged two non-government organisations to assist the agency in registration process in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
The registration process is under way in Pirwadhai, Ziaul Haq Colony, Fauji Colony, Dhoke Hassu, Hazara Colony, Mehar Colony, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Chur Chowk, Adiala Road, Kurri Road, Shamsabad, Tarnol, Faizabad, Bhara Kahu, Ali Pur Farash and other areas, she added.
However, during a visit to a registration point at Tarnol, displaced people complained about difficulties in registration process.
They told Dawn that most of the people had lost their national identity cards or have old identity cards and the registration teams were not entertaining those who had lost their documents.
Even they are not entertaining those IDPs who had applied for CNIC in their respective towns but couldn't receive their cards as Nadra had closed its offices in Swat and Mingora after the start of army operation.
