IDPs’ return to North Waziristan begins

Published April 1, 2015
BANNU: Internally displaced people dance at the Kajuri Checkpost to celebrate their return to their homes here on Tuesday.—INP
BANNU: Internally displaced people dance at the Kajuri Checkpost to celebrate their return to their homes here on Tuesday.—INP

BANNU / TANK: Repa­tr­iation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to North Waziristan started on Tuesday.

A caravan of 26 vehicles carrying 219 IDPs belonging to 62 families left Bannu for Spin Wam and Shahmeri in North Waziristan on the first day. Stringent security arrangements were made on the Miramshah road from the Mirzail checkpost to North Waziristan.

Political Agent Atifur Rehman and other government functionaries saw the families off at Mirzail near Bakkakhel IDP camp in Bannu and Maj Gen Jamil Akhtar Rao and other military officers received them at the historical Babul Islam near Kajuri checkpost.

Also read: Repatriation of Bara IDPs gets underway

About 1,200 families had been registered at the sub-camp of the political agent from March 18 to 20. They will return to their homes in Sin Wam, Shamiri, Mirali and Bubali areas in the first phase of repatriation which will continue till April 24.

Besides the Pakistan Army, the political administration and the Fata Disaster Management Authority are facilitating the process.

About one million registered IDPs are living in camps and rented houses in Bannu district.

Officials said that each family had been given Rs25,000 as cash assistance and Rs10,000 as transportation expenses at Mirzail. They said that food ration for six months and a kit containing non-food items would also be given to each household.

Children under five years of age were administered anti-polio vaccines and under 10 measles vaccines.

RETURN OF IDPs TO S. WAZIRISTAN COMPLETE

The 12th phase of IDPs’ return to South Waziristan from Tank was completed on Tuesday with the departure of the last caravan of 720 families for their homes.

A total of 5,122 IDP families were repatriated in this phase which began on March 16.

About 79,000 Mehsud families had to leave their homes when security forces launched the Rah-i-Nijat operation against the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan in the region in June 2009.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.