BANNU: The local authorities on Thursday stopped Awami National Party provincial president Aimal Wali Khan from visiting the Bakakhel Camp here, where internally displaced persons from North Waziristan tribal district live.

The ANP leader along with party local leaders and workers reached Bakakhel adjacent to North Waziristan to meet IDPs and ascertain their problems. The authorities did not allow him to enter the camp. Mr Aimal criticised authorities for not allowing him to meet IDPs.

“Being a Pakistani, this is my fundamental right to meet IDPs and learn about their problems,” he told reporters outside the camp. He said he was not allowed to meet own people, who suffered due to militancy.

“This is an injustice on part of the authorities,” he said.

The ANP leader claimed that nobody was allowed to enter the camp.

He said he would begin the Peace March from Peshawar to Waziristan and the residents of Waziristan would also join it.

Mr Aimal said his party would challenge the recently-amended minerals law in the court of law to protect the rights of the people of merged tribal districts.The Bakakhel Camp was established in June 2014 with few thousands IDPs from North Waziristan staying there.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2019