Army urged to let foreign NGOs help refugees

Abdus Salam Published July 7, 2014

BANNU: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan urged Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Sunday to allow foreign NGOs to take part in relief work and help internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Speaking to tribal elders on the occasion of opening a complaint cell in Bannu, he said no objection certificates should be immediately issued to NGOs so that they could bring relief goods from abroad.

Mr Khan said the IDPs had been facing an emergency-like situation in which the role of NGOs could not be ignored.

He said a helpline would be set up to facilitate foreign donor agencies and remove hurdles. The donors will be in touch with the IDPs to ascertain their requirements and supply the needed relief items.

Also read: Over half a million IDPs registered

Later talking to journalists, Imran Khan said he and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak would talk to the army chief to allow donor agencies access to the IDPs.

He said the focus should on solving the problems being faced by displaced women and keeping in view the tribal tradition the National Database and Registration Authority should set up a separate centre with female staff for registration of women.

The PTI chief criticised the Peshawar Electric Supply Company for carrying out long hours of loadshedding and said it compounded the misery of IDPs, especially those admitted to hospitals.

There should be a separate power line to ensure continuous supply of electricity to hospitals.

The PTI chief said efforts would be made to mitigate the problems of IDPs.

The provincial and federal governments should monitor the performance of the national and provincial disaster management authorities because their role was crucial at this stage.

Mr Khan said that during his visit to the Bannu hospital, doctors told him that they were facing shortage of medicines and the available stock could meet the requirement for only two or three days.

He urged the federal government to announce Rs15 billion as health grant for the IDPs.

Prior to the military operation, he said, the KP government had been told that only 100,000 displaced people would come to the province.

But the number had now reached 750,000, putting the provincial government in trouble to handle them, he added.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2014

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Raz

Jul 07, 2014 06:18am

He is trying to bring the terrorist orginisations in the name of NGOs to recruit more people.

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Shahid

Jul 07, 2014 06:39am

Stop the metro project and divert all resources to IDPs. The projects regarding widening and construction of roads to Hawalian and chakwal can wait a year. A cut should be made in other projects too which have no emergency side to it and spend all that money to accomodate IDPs and give them enough money to purchase neccessities of life.The money being given to IDPs should not be based on families but on number of individuals in a family.

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Dhk

Jul 07, 2014 06:46am

Good idea!

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oldboy

Jul 07, 2014 06:53am

Yes agree but these NGO's should be screened whether they sincerely want to help or following their own agenda.

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khuma

Jul 07, 2014 07:27am

Instead of. physical presence of the foreign NGOs they could contribute through the Government of Pakistan to avoid the security risk in the IDPS. Imran Khan Should also shift his office in the camp to monitor the services of the various agencies of the state. His demand of funds for the welfare of the IDPS is beyond the reasonable limit however his party provincial Government should handle the situation itself by limiting their other projects in the province.

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vaqas

Jul 07, 2014 07:42am

@khuma i think we can be fairly certain of one point, no one not even me as a pakistani trusts the government with money. Having said that, we must also admit to the increased security risk and for that steps to ensure a third partys safety should be taken. If it would overburden the armed forces then the levies or the regional police should be equipped and trained on an emergency basis. But one thing is certain, this social apathy towards the affected must end immediately and all out efforts should be made to ensure the welfare of these people.

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fiz

Jul 07, 2014 07:58am

Isn't he the one who is always criticising the west, now he wants them to help. We need to be careful in allowing the kind of NGOS as we do not want spies and missionaries crawling the area.

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Ali Pakistani

Jul 07, 2014 08:04am

There is actually no need for any outsiders to get involved. The Federal Government has the capacity to look after the IDPs if they really want to. The problem is that they are not paying attention this pertinent issue of the moment. Instead tackling internal squabbling and foreign tours are more important for the PML-N. The Federal government should stop the building of non nonsensical roads and highways and divert the funds for the rehabilitation of the IDPs

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Lucky Star

Jul 07, 2014 08:55am

Here comes the Talaban Khan!

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Muhammad Arshad

Jul 07, 2014 09:01am

I have given all hope for Khan Sb to talk sense. Has he never even thought about role of a foreign NGO in Abbotabad Incident before giving this splendid suggestion???

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Kalim

Jul 07, 2014 09:11am

@khuma Is it the responsibility of the KPK govt only? I thought that the IDPs are pakistanis and it is our collective responsibility? Why such a narrow mindedness? Shame on your third class mentality.

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Kalim

Jul 07, 2014 09:15am

@Lucky Star I am not a fan of IK but what is wrong with his statement? You sounds more of a Talib as you blindly follow you biased opinion without looking at what the other person is saying.

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nadeem

Jul 07, 2014 09:19am

@fiz it very easy to criticise when your own stomach is full.will you or federal government will give the money that is needed for those people, if not then why are people putting the hurdles in imran, s efforts.

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nadeem

Jul 07, 2014 09:19am

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Hammad Haider

Jul 07, 2014 09:42am

@Shahid Why are you demanding everything from the KPK government? They are already doing more than their capability as far as finances are concerned. They simply cannot take out all the funds of their province, that would wreck havoc. The federal government has to be the biggest financer.

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Janderbari-Malikpur-Abbottabad

Jul 07, 2014 09:44am

What a non sense on sensitive issue? Everybody knows the role of NGO in such areas, and PTI wants again NGO will join and breed these terrorists. The country bears equal loss from IK as from Taliban/terrorists, he not only support them but also trying to protect them .....

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Janderbari-Malikpur-Abbottabad

Jul 07, 2014 09:46am

@fiz : PTI is running KPK govt like NGO therefore everywhere IK sees that NGO will change the fate of war trodden people. He doesn't know that NGO only on paper making everything revolutionary but actually nothing happening... IK think like NGO he can run the state which is not possible.

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Nasir

Jul 07, 2014 10:02am

If foriegn NGO's and their Donors are willing to help IDP's from Waziristan only on Humanitarian approach they should contribute their funds with the government run institutions. They should not be allowed to work directly with the communities or through local NGO's. Waziristan and the surrounding areas are very critical and Army should have a strict check on internationa NGO's and their partners for carrying out their hidden agenda of destablizing Pakistan.

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khanm

Jul 07, 2014 10:22am

Never knew that we have so much of mistrust... Both oligarch and tyrant mistrust the people, and therefore deprive them from every thing...

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Mumtaz Piracha

Jul 07, 2014 11:34am

Why does Imran Khan have to urge the Army Chief? IDPs are to be settled in KP, not North Waziristan. With a minimum of Rs 150 for 3 meals per day for each IDP, we will need Rs 900,00,000 per day for 600,000 IDPs. That will come to Rs 2.70 billions per month. Can the federal and the KP governments bear the expense from their own resources? I doubt it. Credible international NGOs as well as the United Nations and the foreign governments can be of great help if they are approached in a meaningful way and they are assured of the corruption-free utilization of their funds. Money is not the issue: credibility of the govt is.

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Ali

Jul 07, 2014 12:15pm

Its Good Idea and only INGOs can help and arrange every thing in order due to there past experience like earth quake, swat ,Bajour Momand Idps problem.

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Javed Mir

Jul 07, 2014 12:41pm

@Raz This likelihood cannot be ruled out. Moreover Qadir Baloch saheb is doing a good job, why this man is snooping?

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pakiboy

Jul 07, 2014 12:47pm

agent khan spoken again .. let foreign NGOs come so they can export taliban safely !! ...

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fida sayani Sindhi

Jul 07, 2014 01:02pm

Can the foreign NGO be trusted. Past experience is that they mostly work for foreign governments or have their own personal agenda.

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AfZal

Jul 07, 2014 03:02pm

@fida sayani Sindhi listen he asking for help from outside emergency ngos who are trained in human disasters he not asking for help from the fbi

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AfZal

Jul 07, 2014 03:04pm

Why ppl saying why ik asking for help from west as he hates them, he doesnt hate them he disagreeds with thier foriegn policies there is a difference!!!

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Amir Bangash

Jul 07, 2014 03:16pm

The real fight is for access to the funds and nothing else. I hope the IDPs don,t suffer as a result.

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LuvPTI5eva

Jul 07, 2014 04:31pm

@Shahid great idea. Divert the funds from the Peshawar metro bus project indeed.

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M aslam

Jul 07, 2014 06:11pm

@Shahid Why not ask IK to hold his rallies and spend that money towards IDPs

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M aslam

Jul 07, 2014 06:13pm

@khuma He will not do anything except for making demands and putting blames to Federal Government.

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M aslam

Jul 07, 2014 06:16pm

@vaqas By Sonami towards Islamabad- Food for IDPs will be arranged. By Inqilab march- Medicines for IDPs will be arranged. By big Jalsa in Karachi and lashing on Govt.- IDPs will get furnished homes like one of IK in Bani Gala.

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M aslam

Jul 07, 2014 06:17pm

@fiz But the problem is that he was paid by NOGs so it is his duty to facilitate these NGOs.

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M aslam

Jul 07, 2014 06:21pm

@Kalim You are right. All responsibility rest with Federal Govt. and they are doing their work without blaming anyone and silently. (Army is part of Federal Govt. too). However KPK Government has no duty to perform except for demanding all spending should be done thru them, NGOs should be allowed to recruite more people from this area, and make all dirty blames to federal govt.

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M aslam

Jul 07, 2014 06:22pm

@nadeem Imran effort? Asking Federal Govt. to provide money in his hands instead of giving to IDPs.

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Fiz

Jul 07, 2014 09:04pm

@nadeem read the answers of M.Aslam and Jandabari from Abbottabad. Get out of the fascination of IK. He says something and does something else. I am not against getting help because I an well aware of our constraints but people like IK pull the the wool over the eyes of people by giving them dreams which in present times are impossible to achieve. He is the one who is always bashing west along with JI. I just quoted him back.

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Taimoor

Jul 08, 2014 11:50am

Some people make ignorant comments here. IDPs crisis is Federal Government's creation. It's a national issue directly under Federal Government. It's NOT directly KP issue, just as it is not Punjab's issue. All should help, but constitutionally Federal Government needs to provide all the funds. Federal Government is shamelessly not doing anything and IDPs are suffering. Federal Government is not complaining because they want to hide their follies. Imran Khan is exposing them. If Federal Government can't provide funds, why not let NGOs in?

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