Returning home: Last phase of IDP repatriation completed

Under the previous completed phases, 9,293 IDP families have been repatriated.

DI KHAN: The phase six of the Mehsud IDPs repatriation, which started from September 24 to 26, was completed under ‘Operation Umeed Sehar.’ A total of 731 IDP families were repatriated from the Ratha Kulachi and Kur Qila repatriation centres in DI Khan and Tank to their home towns in South Waziristan Agency (SWA), said the Fata Disaster Management Authority coordinator of SWA, Syed Umar. The repatriation of the Mehsud IDPs families is carried out under the supervision and control of the Pakistan Army and the political administration of SWA, said an ISPR statement. Each registered IDP family is provided Rs25,000, six months of food supplies, and other basic needs on their arrival in South Waziristan. The transportation for repatriation is also free, said the political agent of SWA, Shahidullah Khan. Under the previous completed phases, 9,293 IDP families (43,154 individuals) have been repatriated.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27^th, 2012.