50 displaced families return from Afghanistan after 4 years

They left North Waziristan Agency during Operation Zarb-e-Azb

PESHAWAR:

Around 50 families living in Afghanistan as temporarily displaced people arrived in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) through the Ghulam Khan crossing on Monday after successful negotiations between authorities of the two countries.

Political Agent administers polio drops. PHOTO: EXPRESS

According to a press statement issued by the NWA Political Administration, the returning families were received by the PA, and civil and army officers. Camps, providing necessary medical and food facilities were set up in Baka Khel.

Political Administration and Army officers welcome TDPs returning from Afghanistan. PHOTO: EXPRESS

Officials had said on Saturday the temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) from the NWA who left for Afghanistan after Operation Zarb-e-Azb in 2014 would finally make their way to their homes on Monday after successful negotiations.

“Around 4,329 families residing in Khost will return home through the Ghulam Khan border,” Political Agent Kamran Afridi had told The Express Tribune.

Banners await the TDPs returning from Afghanistan. PHOTO: EXPRESS

The TDPs had left NWA following Operation Zarb-e-Azb in 2014, they had been residing in Afghanistan’s eastern city of Khost since.  The political administration expects some 12, 000 families to return from Afghanistan by the end of the four-phase repatriation process.

The repatriation process was impeded when the Afghan Border Police stopped the returning families from crossing over into Pakistan.