“If the government does not want to register them as IDPs, at least it can help them in providing tents and food,” says a tribal elder. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
Tribal elders have claimed that at least 64 people – including women and children – have died of hunger, natural calamities and accidents while 12,000 families have been uprooted from their homes in Kurram Agency following a military operation against militants.
Speaking at a news conference at Parachinar Press Club, elders of Para Chamkani and Masuzai tribes Hayat Khan Chamkani, Hafizullah, Haji Saddin and Yousaf Khan Chamkani claimed that around 12,000 families were displaced by the military operation in the past one week.
On May 7, militants took control of several security check-posts in the Masuzai and Para Chamkani mountainous areas of Central Kurram, Haji Sadeen Khan said. On May 9, a heavy gunfight erupted between security forces and militants in the area, forcing the families to flee for safety. He added that militants from Orakzai and Khyber agencies captured the surrounding areas and infiltrated villages.
As a result, Haji Sadeen said, most of the tribal people moved to lower parts of the agency, including Khar, Khazi Khel and Palash Khel, and have been living without food and health facilities. Apart from the 64 people who have died, a large number of cattle have also perished due to hunger and accidents, while hundreds of children are suffering from various diseases.
Tribal elder Hafizullah demanded the government register the displaced families as internally displaced persons and provide them with food and health facilities. “If the government does not want to register them as IDPs, at least it can help them in providing tents and food,” he added.
Speaking on the elections, Hafizullah, who was also Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s candidate for NA-38 and NA-39, said that the general elections were suspended in NA-38 because tribesmen insisted on contesting them and would not participate in them unless they were repatriated to their homes.
He added that Gondal, Tabay, Malo Pattai, Darya Sarpakh, Goganay, Aroza, Makhranai Godar and other villages were also under the control of militants.
School, dispensary set alight
Also on Tuesday, militants torched a local dispensary and state-run school in Para Chamkani area, reducing the buildings to ashes.
Separately, two people were injured when a mortar shell fired from an undisclosed location struck the houses of tribesmen in the Camel Baza area of Central Kurram.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 15th, 2013.
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@Faisal: People of KPK and FATA have extreme hat for the militants becz they deprived our children form basic health facility, destroyed our educational institution, devastated our tourism industry and snatched people livelihood. it not people of KPK and FATA who support Taliban but the people in our establishment and intelligence agencies who consider them strategic assets. Non-state elements like Taliban can be recruited and organized even in the heartland of Punjab if our intelegne agencies want so. The people of FATA have be brainwashed and now terrorized by our agencies for the few decads that is why they cant resist these non-state elements. Whoever resist thes elements are terminated by our intelligence forces.
Ya Allah! make things easier for these Guys. :(
@ Support and admiration for the Taliban by people of kpk has brought us to this stage. People support taliban both for religion and because of ethnic reasons.
Whither Pakistani sovereignty? Is it violated only by drones? Do these militants who destroy schools and health facilities not destroy your sovereignty? Wold love to hear from PTI supporters on how they would link drone attacks to torching of schools and health facilities and displacement of these people from their hems when they had nothing whatsoever to do with drones.
And Pakistan issued a travel advisory against travelling to India :) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Stragnce Country.
All the suffering in Pakistan is for Non-Punjabis. All the Pakistanis including Sindhis, Mohajirs, Balochis, Pakhtoons and Banglis suffered through the hands of Punjabis.
It is a logical question to ask that if Pakistan was a right thing that supposed to build for all Pakistanis and not ONLY for Punjabis.
UN/UNHCR & other international humanitarian bodies are requested to please help these destitute people. I hope there is any humanity left otherwise it will be a jungle.