SWABI, May 10 The second relief camp set up by the government for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) at Shahmansoor was ready to receive the refugees, officials said.

Sources said that earlier it was planned to have one camp each in Hund and Shahmansoor but the idea was dropped after a visit by the UNHCR team to the area.

“They (UNHCR team) after visiting the site decided to focus on Yar Hussain camp where IDPs from Buner and Swat have been accommodated,” DCO Zakir Hussain Afridi told Dawn

About Shahmansoor camp he said that the tents had been erected there after levelling of the ground and the required staff deputed there.

“We can accommodate 2,000 families in Shahmansoor camp and the extension work in the Yar Hussian camp is under process,” he said.

Apart from these camps, the Tarakai Trust, owned by the family members of District Nazim Shahram Khan, has also established nine camps.

Mr Shahram said that nine camps including one each in Baraargi and Doubian, two each in Shewa adda and Yar Hussian and three in Tarakai had been established.

He said that to accommodate the ever increasing number of IDPs, they had decided to vacate hujras (man guest houses) in his native town.

MEETING A meeting of the district coordination committee, comprising heads of all departments, held on Sunday discussed the ways and means to help the IDPs who were suffering from scorching heat in the camps.

Possible breakout of diseases was also discussed with the District Health Officer Raiz Malik, and medical superintendent of the DHQ hospital, Swabi Dr Gul Mohammad, who were also present in the meeting.

CALL TO END OPERATION Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan, provincial chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, has demanded that the military operation in Swat, Dir and Buner should be stopped forthwith.

He visited IDPs camp at Yar Hussian on Sunday and distributed relief goods among the affected families. Former NWFP education minister Maulana Fazal Ali was also present on the occasion.

Our Correspondent from Charsadda adds Some 12,000 people displaced from troubled Malakand region have reached Charsadda and authorities have set up a relief camp at Government Vocational College.

Officials said that 1,739 displaced families had arrived who were being accommodated at the camp. They said registration of IDPs would be started and basic facilities including electricity, sanitation and drinking water to be provided.

Sources said that commissioner Peshawar Arbab Shahrukh had released Rs5 million for establishing the camp.