Refugees at a camp in Lahore struggle to get their daily food ration — AP photo.

LAHORE The provincial government has now decided to continue extending help to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) at their camps in the NWFP instead of setting up temporary settlements for them in Punjab.

The PML-N government had to give a second thought to its earlier decision, reportedly on the NWFP authorities' request.

'The NWFP government has asked us to continue facilitating the IDPs stay there and not to initiate the step (of setting up camps in Punjab) unless the need arises,' a Punjab government official told Dawn. He, however, clarified that there had been no ban on the entry of IDPs into Punjab.

The Punjab government on Saturday also directed all the members of provincial cabinet to visit the camps in the NWFP and give suggestions after monitoring the process of provision of aid to the IDPs.

'All the cabinet members will visit the IDPs camps in the NWFP between June one and July 15, each along with a few MPAs, to check whether the aid from Punjab is being distributed in a transparent way,' Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanuallh said.

He said the provincial government had also decided to expedite its fund-generating efforts for the IDPs. 'Our step to send the cabinet members (to the NWFP) is part of the efforts to know the exact picture of the difficulties being faced by the IDPs in the camps,' he added.

Rana Sanaullah further said those coming from the troubled areas to their relatives in Punjab would be welcomed. 'We will financially support those relatives of the IDPs who have limited resources to accommodate their guests,' he said.

The law minister was very categorical on the issue of IDP's registration. 'The government will register the IDPs coming to stay with their relatives here and also get filled a surety bond from them (relatives) that their guests would not get involved in any illegal activity during their stay,' he clarified.

The government has directed all the DCOs and DPOs to immediately launch the registration process of the IDPs residing in their respective areas.

A good number of people displaced from Malakand division owing to military operation have arrived in various districts of Punjab like Attock, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Chakwal, Mianwali and Sargodha. 'We are taking the help of special branch personnel to locate them for registration,' a senior police officer said. He said the registration process required at least a couple of weeks as to locate the IDPs was not that easy.