Ethnic divide: Seraiki Waseeb Party cautions IDPs

Blames them for violence, terrorism and rising prices.

DI KHAN:

The Seraiki Waseeb Party (SWP) has warned that it will not welcome any internally displaced persons (IDPs) in DI Khan.

Talking to The Express Tribune on Thursday, SWP general secretary Muhammad Aqeel Chakriayal said that in case of any possible military operation against the Haqqani network in North Waziristan, the party will not allow any resultant IDPs to find refuge in DI Khan.

“The party’s central leaders decided in a meeting that every possible step would be taken to prevent IDPs from North Waziristan from coming to DI Khan. Protests, rallies, campaigns and press conferences will be held and the general public will be motivated to stand against this action,” Chakriayal told The Express Tribune.

Chakriayal maintained DI Khan has already suffered a lot due to the Afghan refugees settled here after the Soviet-Afghan war.

He added that further IDPs from South Waziristan settled in the district following Pakistan Armed Forces combined operation Rah-e-Nijat in 2009 which was conducted in the Mehsud area.

Chakriayal claimed the Afghan refugees and IDPs from South Waziristan were damaging Seraiki culture. He also blamed them for an increase in violence, terrorist activities, price hike and a host of other problems in the district.

He stated however that “we are not going to take up arms against the IDPs of North Waziristan. But we will use every other possible way to prevent them from coming to DI Khan.” He asked the government adjust them in adjacent districts such as Bannu and Lakki Marwat.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 3^rd, 2012.