Seeking assistance: IDPs demand release of aid before Ramazan

Say they have not been paid cash grants for months

BANNU: The North Waziristan IDP Qaumi Committee has demanded the government release the monthly financial assistance promised to displaced people before Ramazan starts. The representative body has also demanded educated displaced tribesmen be employed in non-governmental organisations working for their rehabilitation.

Addressing a news conference in Bannu on Sunday, the committee’s president Nisar Ali Khan accused the government departments and NGOs working for IDP rehabilitation of stealing rations meant for displaced families. He added IDPs had not been receiving their monthly cash grants for the past several months.

The leaders said a large number of families living in Bannu camps are not being given ration even if they show a copy of the family elder’s identity card, and the authorities were eating away at the IDPs’ share.

Khan said NGOs are not hiring displaced people even though they are educated.

Criticising the security check in place at Bakakhel IDP camp, Khan said everyone had to get a gate pass every day to be able to enter the camp. “People have to wait in queues for hours to get a gate pass and go in. The problem can be resolved if permanent passes are issued to those living inside the camp,” said Khan.

He added the Pakistan Army had permitted them to use non-customs paid vehicles for evacuation when the military offensive kicked off, and also provided them with registration documents for those vehicles. The papers were meant to give a legal status to the vehicle in all provinces but district administrations in various provinces have confiscated the vehicles, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2015.