PESHAWAR, April 11: The Peshawar High Court on Wednesday took suo motu notice of inadequate facilities for internally displaced persons (IDPs), especially those from Bara tehsil, at Jalozai camp in Nowshera, and directed the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) chairman to ensure uninterrupted provision of electricity to the camp within three days along with other facilities, including health care.

Pesco was also told to receive surety bonds from Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) about payment of power bills by it, while the PDMA director general was given seven days to provide electric fans and bulbs to all tents in the camp.

The directions were issued by a bench comprising Chief Justice Dost Mohammad Khan and Justice Mian Fasihul Mulk during the hearing into different cases.

After taking suo motu notice of inadequate facilities at Jalozai camp, the chief justice asked the advocate general to ensure appearance of PDMA director general and other officials. Shortly thereafter, PDMA Director General Shahzad Bangash, Director (Relief) Zulfiqar Ali Shah and Chief Coordinator Faiz Mohammad showed up.

The bench issued directives to the provincial health secretary, the director general (health services) and Fata Health Services director to ensure provision of health facilities at Jalozai camp round the clock.

The chief justice also ordered the posting of specialist doctors, including paediatricians and gynaecologists, and doctors of Bara health centres, which had been closed down for law and order situation, to the camp.

The bench said all sorts of vaccination should be made possible at the camp and that vaccine against dog and snake bites should be made available there for emergency situations. It also directed the capital city police chief to ensure proper security of the camp.

The chief justice observed that the government and PDMA had not been adopting measures like the one they had adopted when IDPs had arrived from Malakand region.

He directed the PDMA DG to begin a campaign through print and electronic media for attracting philanthropists and humanitarian organisations so that they could extend help to IDPs. The PDMA DG was also told to submit complete report in this respect to the court on April 24, next date of hearing.

At the outset of the proceedings, the chief justice said he had taken notice of the Jalozai camp issues at the complaints of civil society organisations that IDPs, especially those, who recently came to the camp from Bara tehsil due to military operation against militants, had been experiencing miserable conditions.

He said over 30 per cent of IDPs at Jalozai camp were children, whereas over 40 per cent were women, who needed special assistance and treatment and that IDPs were also stressed out by electricity and drinking water shortage. He further said it was noted that children had been having sleepless nights at the camp.

PDMA DG Shahzad Bangash informed the court that around 42,000 displaced families from Bara had so far been registered and of them, 10,000 opted to live in the camp and the others lived outside the camp.

He said electricity was supplied to a large part of the camp, while efforts were being made to ensure early electric supply to other parts.

Mr Bangash said five basic health units with 125 staffers were operational in the camp and that drinking water was supplied to people there.

The chief justice observed that the government had been hosting millions of refugees for the last 30 to 35 years and it was their responsibility to assist persons who were displaced from different parts of the country. He added that these tribesmen had been rendering valuable sacrifices for the rest of the country and they deserved to be treated with respect and dignity.