Over 20,000 from North Waziristan living as IDPs in refugee camps in Pakistan, Afghanistan

Protest demands IDPs’ return in North Waziristan

MIRANSHAH:

Traffic on the Banu-Miranshah Road was suspended for hours on Monday as residents along with workers of different political parties staged a joint demonstration outside the Miranshah Press Club for the early repatriation of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) from North Waziristan.

Abdul Khalil, the chairperson of a local political alliance called the Siyasi Itthehad, said that over 20,000 people of the district are currently living as IDPs in refugee camps in Pakistan and Afghanistan after having been displaced due to militancy and a massive military operation to reclaim the area from terrorists, codenamed Zarb-e-Azb.

He added that over 7,000 families are still stuck in the neighbouring country, and demanded that the government make arrangements for their early repatriation.

MPA Mir Kalam Wazir said that the people of Waziristan have rendered immense sacrifices for the restoration of peace and security in the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2020.