Warning issued: Orakzai jirga urges govt to start IDPs repatriation

Asks return home to commence on March 15 as promised

HANGU: A jirga of at least 18 tribes and clans from all over Orakzai Agency was held in Hangu on Monday. It urged the government to commence repatriation of internally displaced persons (IDP) on March 15 as promised.

The jirga was held under the auspices of Muttahida Qabail Party and addressed by Malik Habib Noor and several other elders.

The participants insisted that the government start repatriation of IDPs to their homes on March 15. Otherwise, they threatened, protests will be held throughout the country.



Noor in his address, listed out the sacrifices rendered by tribespeople in every struggle particularly, at the time of independence. “We are still living like refugees in the country,” he said. “Tribespeople have been deprived of their rights.” He pressed the government to address their needs and cease discriminatory actions.

Noor also welcomed the governor nominee Zafar Iqbal Jaghra and hoped he would help resolve problems plaguing the tribal belt and its people. He said tribespeople have a lot of faith in Jhagra, “especially as far as the early repatriation of IDPs is concerned”.

The participants at the jirga also discussed arrangements for re-polling at NA-39 to be held on March 6.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2016.