THE military's crackdown on militants belonging to the Lashkar-i-Islam group in Khyber Agency's Bara area has sent internally displaced persons from the region heading towards the Jalozai refugee camp. The provincial authorities have clearly been swamped by the sheer numbers: reports say 3,500 families have sought IDP status while around 6,000 people have been granted the status thus far. Residents of the camp say food stocks are low, while according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority there is enough food. Yet what is most disturbing is that the local administration has restricted aid to two tribes, disallowing others from sheltering at the camp. The authorities say that only the Sipah and Malik Din Khel tribes have been affected by the military crackdown, while members of other tribes insist they have also been uprooted due to the hostilities.

It goes without saying that assisting IDPs should be a non-discriminatory affair. The local administration needs to reconsider its decision of restricting aid to certain tribes. It is welcome that the PDMA recently cleared 900 families for IDP status after briefly suspending the registration process due to the considerable load. However, state assistance needs to be extended to all those genuinely affected by the crackdown, especially since it was the local administration which ordered them to leave their native areas. With winter fast approaching, it is essential that all those displaced by the crackdown in Bara are provided adequate food, shelter and other basic necessities, as well as healthcare. The federal government must coordinate with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa authorities to ensure these people are accommodated while international relief agencies, especially the UN refugee agency, must help the state deal with the influx of IDPs until it is safe enough for them to return to their native areas.