KHYBER: Thousands of families displaced from Tirah valley in Khyber tribal district have voiced reservations about the authorities’ disinterest in honouring commitments to their well-being as well as the recently announced return and rehabilitation plan for them.

Talking to Dawn in Bara where a majority of Tirah IDPs are staying, Rehmat Shah Afridi, chairman of the Tehreek-i-Mutasereen Tirah, said the displaced families had little faith left in the promises made by the government as they had been awaiting registration and monetary assistance even over eight months after they’re forced to leave houses.

He said that only 21,000 out of the officially-acknowledged 34,000 displaced families had so far been verified as the process of registration and verification was painfully slow.

“Assigning the registration and verification task to the 24-member Tirah Committee is clear proof of the relevant quarters’ inefficiency and lack of interest in fulfilling their commitments and responsibilities,” he said.

Declare Oct return plan as ‘ill-conceived’

A resident of Dunga village in Tirah, Mr Shah said that a considerable number of the displaced families had been waiting for the promised transport fare, Rs50,000 monthly stipend and additional grant of Rs250,000 since their arrival in Bara in Dec 2025 and early 2026.

He alleged that many IDPs were robbed by a gang of fraudsters who impersonated Tirah Committee members but the police and administration failed to act against them.

Minhaj Lala from Mashri Chowk in Tirah who is an executive member of Tehreek Mutasereen said that alongside ordinary IDPs, there were thousands of Tirah traders and shopkeepers who had lost most of their merchandise at the time of eviction from their houses but their losses had yet to be assessed, with majority of them trying to find a small source of earning.

He said most Tirah traders had either settled in Bara or moved to Peshawar, Mardan and Nowshera in search of business opportunities.

Registered mostly with Anjuman Tirah Tajeran Union, these traders also included some women who had established small businesses inside their houses after their return to the valley in 2025-26 after first displacement.

“The women who had established shops at their houses were either widows or their husbands were physically disabled, so they’re forced by circumstances to look for a honourable source of earning but that is now completely lost,” he said.

Mr Lala said the Tirah traders couldn’t risk investing in places outside Tirah as they awaited a confirmed plan of their return.

Reacting to the official announcement about the start of Tirah IDPs’ return in October, he insisted that the plan was ill-conceived as it would be extremely difficult for a majority of IDPs to follow it due to severe weather conditions.

“IDPs will face harsh winter during their rehabilitation just like the one they had to put up with during their displacement,” he said.

Mr Lala complained that IDPs had little faith in official pledges and promises and still doubted action on the Oct 10 return deadline.

He demanded that the return plan be rescheduled to Sept so that IDPs reach their homes before the onset of winter in the valley.

When contacted, Suhbat Khan, spokesman for the IDPs Committee, said a majority of IDPs had their houses in Tirah damaged either due to mortar shelling or excessive rains during the current monsoon season.

He said the damage to the houses had added to the financial woes of displaced persons as they would require additional money for the repair of their damaged homes and rehabilitations of their farmlands soon after their return.

The spokesman said that with no proper medical and treatment facilities for IDPs in Bara, a large number of them, mostly women, children and elderly persons, suffered from multiple diseases, while some had died due to a lack of treatment.

Mr Khan alleged that natural forest was mercilessly chopped down by a “timber mafia”, while precious lands were occupied for so-called development schemes without taking the original owners into confidence or registering them for proper land compensation.

He also criticised Chief Minister Suhail Afridi, local lawmakers and representatives of political parties and trade and welfare organisations and civil society activists over their “failure to forcefully advocate for” the rights of Tirah IDPs.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2026