KHYBER: The district administration announced on Tuesday the return plan of 2,041 displaced Kukikhel families to their homes. The families would start repatriating from Oct 29.

A notification issued from the Khyber House here said that these families, comprising 11,487 individuals, would be repatriated to at least 60 compounds in Tor Chapar area of Rajgal in Tirah valley.

The Kukikhel tribesmen have long been demanding the return of their remaining over 6,000 displaced families to their respective areas, and had also established a protest camp at the Bhagiyari checkpost in August in order to press the government for acceptance of their demands.

The main Peshawar-Torkham highway also remained closed for over a month due to the Kukikhels’ protest with trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan badly affected.

The notification said that efforts would be made to provide the returning Tor Chapar families with tents, non-food items and cash for transportation in order to ensure their timely and smooth repatriation.

The notification further said that families belonging to Naka, Chingai, Bakhtakhel, Babbar Kachkol, Kachkol, Tordara, Ghareby and Kharwaly areas would be sent to their homes from May 15, 2025.

“The return of families is subject to the security clearance of the areas by the security agencies,” it said.

The Khyber administration completed the return of thousands of displaced Kukikhel families of Barai, Daman, Patai, Pakdara, Bagh Kalay and Ghwakhy villages in September this year.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2024