Homecoming: 6,538 displaced families repatriated since January 1

PESHAWAR: At least 6,538 displaced families have been repatriated to Khyber and North Waziristan agencies since the beginning of the year. This was stated in a report issued by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) for the week of January 15 to January 21.

Around 5,879 displaced families have been repatriated to Khyber Agency while another 659 were sent back to North Waziristan Agency since January 1. The repatriation was carried out at a time amid deteriorating law and order situation in various parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal belt.



As per the report, 119,849 families have been sent home since March 16, 2015. Of these, 72,001 families have returned to Khyber Agency, 34,234 to North Waziristan, 9,863 to South Waziristan Agency, 3,041 to Kurram Agency and 710 to Orakzai Agency.

No families have been repatriated to Frontier Region Tank since March 2015, stated the report.

Hanging in the balance

At least 182,325 families have yet to be sent back home.

The report added, “Around 15,164 displaced families remain in Khyber Agency, 69,768 in North Waziristan, 55,375 in South Waziristan, 19,444 in Kurram Agency, 22,198 in Orakzai Agency and 376 families are left in FR Tank.”

Bouncing back

According to the report, the families who have returned to Khyber Agency and North Waziristan have been disbursed Rs10,000 under a transport package. “At least Rs25,000 were handed over under the return package offered by the K-P government,” it added.

According to the FATA Development Management Authority, 39 villages in South Waziristan Agency have been de-notified by the Pakistan Army – clear for repatriation. Over 30,000 families will be sent back to them in the near future.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th,  2016.