PESHAWAR: The Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDPs) from North Waziristan tribal district continued their protest outside the Peshawar Press Club for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday, demanding practical steps for resolution of their problems.

Addressing the protesters, the speakers lamented that they were forcibly displaced and were forced to live a refugee life in their own country. They said they were displaced from their native areas when the government launched a military operation against terrorists in North Waziristan in 2014.

The protestors said the government had provided them SIMs through which they used to receive Rs20,000 cash assistance per family, but later the SIMs were blocked which had created problems for their families living away from their native areas.

“We have been requesting the authorities to resolve the issue, but they have adopted mysterious silence,” said an elder, vowing to continue the protest till acceptance of their demands.

They also demanded effective measures for repatriation of TDPs from Afghanistan.

Later in the day, Awami National Party provincial general secretary Sardar Hussain Babak and other leaders visited the protest camp and expressed solidarity with the displaced people.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Babak said the repatriation and rehabilitation of displaced persons was a collective problem of Pakhtuns, while the government had adopted a harsh attitude with them.

He said thousands of tribal elders, women and children had died during the militancy and they wanted repatriation and rehabilitation of their families.

Mr Babak said Pakhtuns were branded as traitors when they raised voice for their rights. He said the actual traitors were those elements who were denying rights to the tribal people.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2022