Fleeing North Waziristan: Over 9,000 families registered in 24 hours

Many IDPs settling in government schools rather than camps.

MIRAMSHAH/ BANNU:

Locals from North Waziristan streamed across the border of the agency on Thursday from Miramshah, Ghulam Khan and other villages as Operation Zarb-e-Azb entered its fifth day.

A large number of vehicles carrying displaced families have yet to be registered. Around 100,000 people have migrated to Bannu district while an estimated 0.2 million people have left the agency. At least 9,300 migrating families have been registered at the check posts in the last 24 hours.

Abdullah Din, a resident of Miramshah, estimated that more than 20,000 vehicles were caught in traffic on the Bannu-Miramshah road. He said those travelling were confronted with food and water shortages, exacerbated by the heat. Sharif, another tribesman, said the process of registration and checks at Esha and Khajori check posts was slow and there was insufficient staff for the purpose.

Sharif claimed that a boy, Sadiqullah, lost his life due to heat exhaustion near the Bakkakhel area of Bannu, while another woman was killed in the Bandha area of Miramshah tehsil as luggage toppled off a vehicle.



According to government statistics around 1,70,728 people have migrated to Bannu from North Waziristan. Not a single displaced family is living in the camps established by the government, as some of the families are seeking shelter in government schools in the district. Those from NWA staged a protest in front of Bannu Press Club, complaining of a lack of facilities for IDPs.

Members of the Qaumi Walfare Jirga Waziristan Gul Naeem, Jamaldar Wazir and other student leaders said there was no proper arrangement for food, transport and residences for the IDPs. Naeem said an evacuation from North Waziristan within three days was not possible due to the lack of transportation.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20^th, 2014.