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ISLAMABAD: The government rejected on Tuesday criticism by opposition parties about its handling of the crisis relating to people displaced from North Waziristan and announced that it would do everything possible to meet their basic needs.
If needed, the government would release Rs30 billion for 1.5 million old and one million newly registered displaced people, even for an extended period, Minister for States and Frontier Region retired Lt Gen Abdul Qadir Baloch said at a press conference.
“We, however, are hopeful of a speedy completion of the military operation in North Waziristan.”
Responding to a statement issued on Monday by former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in which he criticised the government for its ‘callous attitude’ towards the displaced people, he said: “We are genuinely hurt by the observations made by the former president.”
Cash, relief goods are being distributed through the commissioner
He said it was a national issue and the government wanted support of all political parties, but it was a matter of record that no senior PPP leader picked up the courage to visit a camp in Bannu.
Mr Baloch said the PPP government in Sindh had not come up with the help which a rich province should have sent for the people displaced from North Waziristan.
He said statements made by some PTI leaders that the federal government was doing nothing for the IDPs made no sense.
The minister, however, said there was no issue between the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and the federal government and they were working in perfect harmony.
Since the crisis-hit tribal areas are in the jurisdiction of the federal government, it has to lead the efforts to mitigate the suffering of the displaced people.
Cash, relief goods, food and other items are being distributed through the commissioner of Bannu who has been made a focal person for the purpose. Two army brigadiers and officials of the National Disaster Management Authority and the Fata Disaster Management Authority are assisting in the efforts.
The minister said: “I request individuals and civil society interested in sending relief goods to contact government agencies for their effective distribution.”
On arrival at the Saidghai registration point, he said, the IDPs were given a refreshment box, administered polio drops and provided medical attention and transportation and those who wanted to go to the Bakakhel camp were given tents, cooked food and medical aid.
He said 10 distribution points – six in Bannu and two each in D.I. Khan and Lakki Marwat – had been set up so far.
In reply to a question, the minister said the government had not appealed to the international community for assistance. “If a country with a population of about 200m cannot look after its 1m people, then nobody else can help them.”
He, however, said the international help could be sought for rehabilitation of the IDPs because it would be a challenge for the government.
“Even now we are not rejecting whatever help is coming from the international community,” he said.
About financial grants the federal government had released for the IDPs so far, Mr Baloch said Rs2bn had been released for distribution and more money would be provided after this amount was exhausted. Rs1bn had been given to the army in Bannu for various facilities. The government, he said, had provided 60,000 tons of wheat worth Rs2.28bn for distribution among the IDPs.
The federal government is providing Rs37,000 cash grant – Rs12,000 per month as subsistence allowance, Rs5,000 (one time) for non-food items and Rs20,000 (one time) as Ramazan Package – to each family of IDPs.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is providing Rs3,000 per month as house rent allowance and Rs5,000 (one time) as Ramazan Package.
The Punjab government is providing a monthly cash grant of Rs7,000.
Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2014
